A paste based on tin, which was discovered in a cauldron from the days of the Roman occupation in Britain, was probably used to make up the women's faces at that time
The BBC reports that a cauldron containing an ointment from the days of the Roman occupation of Britain, has led researchers to the conclusion that the women of that time used a tin-based ointment to make themselves look more playful and pale. The cauldron was found last year in South Howark, south London.
Scientists from the University of Bristol tested the paste in the cauldron and concluded that it was made from animal fat, tin oxide and tin. The cauldron is six centimeters long and five centimeters wide, and the paste it contains has the marks of the last fingers that used it.
The ointment contained in the cauldron intrigued the scientists, who tried to find out what its use was. At first it was believed that it was toothpaste or a substance applied to goats before slaughter as part of a certain ritual, but now - after extensive tests - the scientists are convinced that it is makeup.
Richard Evershed, a biochemist, told the BBC: "There is something in the ointment that resembles a color, and when it is applied to faces, they turn white. There is no mention of this in historical texts." Francis Grew, from the Archaeological Museum of London, added: "We are dealing here with highly sophisticated material. Most likely the women of the upper class used it to beautify themselves."
The Roman occupation began in 54-55 BC, when Julius Caesar raided southern Britain. In 43 AD Claudius conquered the country. The Roman rule paved the way, and brought stability and cultural development, following which (in the third to seventh centuries) Christianity spread.
In the fifth century, the Romans gradually retreated and their place was taken by Germanic invaders who crossed the North Sea, led by the English and Saxon tribes. They established several small kingdoms and pushed the Celts from the fertile plains into the hilly and wooded areas of Wales, Cornwall and Brittany.
