The oldest red lipstick ever found dates back about 3,600 years and was uncovered in Iran, a discovery attributed to Arkeonews in reports about ancient cosmetic practices. The artifact offers a rare glimpse into the beauty rituals of early societies and the materials people used to enhance their appearance.
Archaeologists identified a tiny vial containing a mineral called chlorite in the Jiroft region of southeastern Iran. Inside lay a dark red dye that scholars believe was used as lipstick. The presence of this substance in such a small container underscores an advanced sense of personal grooming and the value placed on color and presentation in that era. The discovery invites researchers to consider how beauty standards were expressed in everyday life, not only in elite contexts but across broader social groups within ancient communities.
The vessel’s shape bears a striking resemblance to modern lipstick tubes, suggesting that users could apply the color with one hand while glancing into a mirror with the other. This form factor hints at a sophisticated understanding of practical design and the social rituals surrounding makeup application. It is a detail that helps bridge the gap between contemporary cosmetic use and its ancient antecedents, illustrating a through-line in the evolution of personal care tools.
Analyses of the remaining composition reveal a mix of hematite minerals thickened with manganite and braunite, coupled with traces of galena and anglesite. These mineral components were blended with vegetable wax and other organic ingredients, mirroring many modern lipstick formulations that rely on pigment-rich minerals bound in a waxy matrix. This parallel emphasizes how ancient makers exploited available natural resources to achieve lasting color, texture, and adherence to the lips, all while adapting recipes to local environments and materials at hand.
The find adds nuance to the understanding of the Marhashi civilization, a society referenced in Mesopotamian cuneiform texts as a distinct cultural and economic community. The makeup techniques evidenced by the residue suggest a layered social structure with defined aesthetic expectations, where cosmetics signified status, identity, and perhaps even ceremonial roles. Alongside lipstick, other cosmetics such as foundation, eye shadow, and eyeliner have been identified in broader Iranian archaeological records, illustrating a robust tradition of personal adornment that spanned different time periods and social strata. This points to a long-standing emphasis on grooming as a key facet of daily life and self-presentation in the region’s past. (Arkeonews)
Across continents, similar traces of pigment use reveal parallel human behaviors. In Australia, researchers reported a hole containing paint that may be 30,000 to 35,000 years old, possibly left by early inhabitants seeking to mark territory, express ritual identity, or decorate living spaces. Although stylistic and functional aims differed, the underlying impulse—to create color and meaning through pigment—binds these discoveries into a broader portrait of ancient creativity. These findings collectively underscore how early communities valued color as a communicative and aesthetic tool, shaping social interactions and cultural memory over millennia.