Archaeologists have unearthed the oldest eyeliner from the ruins of a prehistoric city in Turkey which has proved that humans were using makeup more than 8,000 years ago.
The kohl stick, which is a kind of eyeliner still popular among people, was found in Yeşilova Höyük which is an ancient settlement in western Turkey.
The kohl stick is made using green serpentine stone and there are traces of black paint on its tip, more than 8,200 years after it was used.
Speaking about the discovery to Daily Mail, lead archaeologist Zafer Derin said, “For centuries, kohl has been worn by individuals of all genders, statuses, and socioeconomic levels.”
The kohl is believed to have been used in various parts of the world like Egypt, the Levant, Syria, Iran, and Anatolia.
“It’s been used from ancient times to the present, and it is still used in many regions today. The kohl stick found in Yeşilova Höyük is the oldest known example ever found. This may show how much the first Aegean women living in Yeşilova were fond of their beauty,” Derin added.
The kohl stick was discovered in a Neolithic layer which dates back to 8,200 years. Yeşilova Höyük is an ancient place in the Turkish city of Izmir.
How was kohl stick used in ancient times?
The kohl stick is nearly 10 cm long and a centimetre thick and is among various artefacts developed by the people of Yeşilova Höyük in ancient times.
Dr Derin stated that it was “very well smoothed and shaped into a sharp pen”.
The kohl stick was probably dipped into a container of kohl and then used for makeup.
The experts have sent the black substance at the tip for analysis, however, it is believed to be manganese oxide, which is one of the components of kohl.
“Yet its use not have been purely cosmetic. As it is known from many written texts, paintings, and sculptures in ancient Egypt, kohl was mainly used for the treatment of eye diseases rather than an aesthetic function,” Dr Derin said.
“It was also thought to reduce the brightness of the sun by applying it thickly around the eyes,” he added.
Kohl is created by grinding stibnite which is a mineral discovered in hydrothermal deposits.
(With inputs from agencies)
