Cinnabar-stained teeth—a mystery from an ancient Turpan burial

Research led by Jilin University and Texas A&M University has documented the first known case of cinnabar-stained teeth in antiquity. Analysis of a burial from approximately 2,200 years ago in the Shengjindian Cemetery, Turpan, China, revealed red pigment on a young woman's teeth. Testing confirmed the substance as cinnabar, a mercury sulfide mineral historically used in burial practices, shamanism, and early medicine. Findings suggest long-distance trade connections and significant cultural meaning behind the pigment's use.