title: Chronic mercury exposure in Late Neolithic/Chalcolithic populations in Portugal from the cultural use of cinnabar.
abstract: Cinnabar is a natural mercury sulfide (HgS) mineral of volcanic or hydrothermal origin that is found worldwide. It has been mined prehistorically and historically in China, Japan, Europe, and the Americas to extract metallic mercury (Hg(0)) for use in metallurgy, as a medicinal, a preservative, and as a red pigment for body paint and ceramics. Processing cinnabar via combustion releases Hg(0) vapor that can be toxic if inhaled. Mercury from cinnabar can also be absorbed through the gut and skin, where it can accumulate in organs and bone. Here, we report moderate to high levels of total mercury (THg) in human bone from three Late Neolithic/Chalcolithic (5400-4100 B.P.) sites in southern Portugal that were likely caused by cultural use of cinnabar. We use light stable isotope and Hg stable isotope tracking to test three hypotheses on the origin of mercury in this prehistoric human bone. We traced Hg in two individuals to cinnabar deposits near Almadén, Spain, and conclude that use of this mineral likely caused mild to severe mercury poisoning in the prehistoric population. Our methods have applications to bioarchaeological investigations worldwide, and for tracking trade routes and mobility of prehistoric populations where cinnabar use is documented.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, 601 S. College Rd., Wilmington, NC 28403.
authors.forename: Steven D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Emslie
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, Southeast Missouri State University, One University Plaza, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701.
authors.forename: Rebecka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brasso
authors.affiliation: Saskatchewan Isotope Laboratory, 114 Science Place, Saskatoon SK S7N5E2, Canada.
authors.forename: William P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.affiliation: Archaeological Research Group (NIA - ERA Arqueologia) and ICArEHB center, Calçada de Santa Catarina, 9 C 1495 - 705 Cruz Quebrada, Portugal.
authors.forename: António
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carlos Valera
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, 601 S. College Rd., Wilmington, NC 28403.
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McKenzie
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Science, University of Coimbra, 3000 - 056 Coimbra, Portugal, UNIARQ.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maria Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Michigan, 1100 North University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109.
authors.forename: James D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Gleason
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Michigan, 1100 North University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109.
authors.forename: Joel D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Blum
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002048:Burial; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006801:Humans; D017669:Mercury Compounds / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D008630:Mercury Poisoning / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011174:Portugal; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D017669:Mercury Compounds; D012987:Soil; C034211:cinnabar