Identification of source mine using sulfur, mercury, and lead isotope analyses of vermilion used in three representative tombs from Kofun period in Japan

Pigments — Mercury-based red (cinnabar-vermilion) and white (calomel) and their degradation products

“…For this reason, sample preparation is as crucial as the analytical technique used for the measurements. Archaeometric issues have been approached through this method by Mazzocchin et al (2008), Hunt et al (2011), Minami et al (2013Minami et al ( , 2021 Higueras et al (2005) prepared the sample through the following procedures (in order): grinding, sieving, electromagnetic separation, ultrasonic bath, dissolution via HCl and HNO 3 , heating on a hotplate 100°C for 24 hours and ion exchange in hydrobromic acid. Measurements were performed using a micromass multicollector thermal ionisation mass spectrometer (TIMS).…”

“…Their own measurements were achieved using TIMS. Minami et al (2013Minami et al ( , 2021 prepared the sample through the following procedures (in order): decomposition with reverse aqua regia, dissolution in hydrochloric acid, ion exchange, dissolution by hydrochloric acid solution and nitric acid and evaporation. Measurements were made by TIMS and MC-ICP-MS.…”

“…Hintelmann and Lu (2003) demonstrated that different ratios of Hg isotopes might possibly discriminate cinnabar sources, although with some limits due to contamination. To the best of my knowledge, only Cooke et al (2013), Prieto et al (2016 16 and Minami et al (2021) used mercury isotopes to investigate the use and trade of "archaeological" cinnabar. Conversely, data on natural cinnabar ores (and Hg 0 L ) are also available for other areas such as Almaden (δ 202 Hg ranging between −0.92 and 0.15‰, mean of −0.56‰, σ = 0.35‰, n = 7; Gray et al 2013), Monte Amiata (δ 202 Hg ranging between −0.96 and −2.25‰, mean of −1.34‰, σ = 0.5‰, n = 7; Pribil et al 2020) and a few Chinese and Japanese cinnabar ores (Minami et al 2021).…”