RESEARCHERS confirmed recently that traces of a substance found in an over 2,000-year-old jar are a skin-whitening cosmetic face cream for men, illustrating that both ancient and modern men shared similar standards to be physically attractive.

After several years of complex analysis, six grams of residue in a delicate, sealed bronze jar found in 2017 in the grave of an ancient Chinese nobleman of the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 B.C.) is thought likely to be a cosmetic, adding a significant new piece to the puzzle of early human activity, experts said.

The Liujiawa Site in Chengcheng County of Weinan, Shaanxi Province, where the grave was discovered, was the capital of the Rui State in the early to middle part of the period.

After completing a complex chemical analysis, researchers proved the residue was made of ruminant fat mixed with monohydrocalcite that was probably used as a whitening face cream, said Sun Zhanwei, a researcher of the Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology, who led the Liujiawa field excavation project.

“It’s the oldest cosmetic for males ever discovered in China and the oldest face cream so far. It is more than 1,000 years older than previous written records,” he said.

Most historical records of males using cosmetics have been found in the era of Three Kingdoms (220-280). They tell the stories of famous handsome noblemen, such as Cao Zhi and He Yan. But the new findings showed that certain social customs existed far earlier, he said.

“Besides beautifying the skin, use of cosmetics was also related to the social environment, which underwent drastic changes.”

Small bronze jars are often found in graves of nobles, and are a symbol of the aristocratic class.

The find also provides an important reference for studies concerning the rise of the cosmetics industry and application of fat in the handicrafts industry, Sun added.

The rim of the jar is elliptical, with a major axis of 5.5 centimeters and a minor axis of 4.3 cm. The height of the jar is 5.9 cm. Its surface has complex and refined artistic patterns.

The jar was found in the northwestern corner of the grave, far away from other bronze containers in the southeastern corner that were used for sacrificial rituals, banquets and funerals. The placement suggests that the function of the jar is different from the others, Sun said. (China Daily)