Greek Burial Makeup: Lead on the Dead
Athenian undertakers dusted the dead with white makeup—thick, powdery, and deadly.
Eugène Delacroix — "The Natchez" (1823–24 and 1835), public domain
Powdering the Dead (with Poison)
Athenian undertakers dusted the dead with white makeup—thick, powdery, and deadly.
Lead in the Makeup, Layered for the Afterlife
Excavations in Athens have uncovered female skulls with traces of white lead, a pigment also used in women's makeup. Greek funerary rites included washing and anointing the corpse, then applying cosmetics: white face powder, kohl for the eyes, and red pigment for the cheeks and lips. The dead, like wedding brides, were made beautiful for the underworld—poisoned powder and all.
Excavations in Athens have uncovered female skulls with traces of white lead, a pigment also used in women's makeup. Greek funerary rites included washing and anointing the corpse, then applying cosmetics: white face powder, kohl for the eyes, and red pigment for the cheeks and lips. The dead, like wedding brides, were made beautiful for the underworld—poisoned powder and all.
