Red princess of the Silk Road - the first-and-only known case of cinnabar-stained teeth in antiquity from the Iron Age Western Regions (202BCE − 8CE)

Cinnabar is a valuable mineral resource that has been mined and utilized by ancient people around the world. It has been used for burials, paintings, and alchemy, reflecting its close associations with religion, decoration, and medicine. In this study, we report an archaeological sample of teeth painted with red pigment discovered at the Shengjindian site (2,200–2,050 BP) located in the historic Western Regions, now Xinjiang, China. The red pigment and binder on the surface of the teeth were analyzed using Raman spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. The results indicated that the red pigment on the teeth was cinnabar, which was attached to the surface of the teeth using a proteinaceous binder. This is the first-and-only known case of cinnabar used as red pigment to stain teeth in antiquity and throughout the world. Though it is an isolated archaeological discovery, this “Red Princess of the Silk Road” provides new insights into the use of cinnabar in ancient people. This study signifies the importance of the color red in daily and spiritual life, and also reflects the exchange and communication of resources and culture, enriching the knowledge of the Silk Road.