The main problem with this antimony poisoning, however, seems to be that all
samples of ancient eye paint (at least the LBA Egyptian ones I'm aware of)
which were analysed within the last decades are galena rather than antimony
sulfide. The latter is obviuosly deeply embedded in peoples' minds, but also
obviously difficult to substantiate with archaeological evidence... Sorry to
give this blow.
Thilo Rehren
-----Original Message-----
From: Michael McNeil <[log in to unmask]>
To: arch-metals <[log in to unmask]>
Date: 06 September 2000 20:15
Subject: Re: archaeological evidence of poisoning
>Antimony salts are mostly fairly insoluble, BUT if you had antimony on your
skin and had some types of bacteria (acid-producers) as well, or something
which produced locally reducing conditions (Zn impurities in the Sb?) you
might get some stibene. Sitting in a hot room with a bunch of people whose
eye makeup was generating stibene would certainly shorten your life-span.
But this probably would have happened after you had killed quite a few
workers making Sb from oxide ores by reducing processes in the presence of
sources of H (like wood). Stibene is really bad news.
>
>>>> [log in to unmask] 09/06 2:08 PM >>>
>I have something in my mind I can't quite concreticise about ancient
>Egyptian women suffering from the effects of applying antimony (or some
>compound?) liberally to beautify their eyes. Any use? David Liversage.
>
>
>
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