CNN —A small stone vial discovered in southeastern Iran contained a red cosmetic that was likely used as a lip coloring nearly 4,000 years ago, according to archaeologists. More than 80% of the analyzed sample was made up of minerals that produce a deep red color — primarily hematite. The substance found in the stone vial was made from different minerals — including hematite, shown in red. Whether the vial from Iran was the earliest lipstick, “all comes down to what this new discovery was actually used for,” she said. The rest is slowly emerging from new excavations.”It’s not clear who would have worn the lipstick — or in what context.

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Persons: It’s, Massimo Vidale, ”, —, Joann Fletcher, Fletcher, Laurence Totelin, Totelin, ” Totelin, kohl, ” Vidale, Vidale, “ Organizations: CNN, University of Padua’s Department of Cultural Heritage, University of York’s, Cardiff University, Archaeological Museum, Jiroft Locations: Iran, Italy, Egypt, Jiroft