Steve
While this is true armour is comparitively recent. Much of the
archaeological silver must have been extracted from lead ore or at least ore
containing lead.
Mercury is also an early metal and you don't have to heat it to be
cumulatively poisoned by the vapour. The miners collecting native mercury
must have died from it. Those extracting it from the ore by heating it would
be affected too even if they escaped being poisoned by the cinnabar.
Peter
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