Researchers at the University of Zurich have developed a novel dating methodology using mercury-204 isotopic fractionation to analyze pigment residues at archaeological sites. Applied to ancient processing workshops in the Northern Andes, this technique has pushed back the timeline for specialized cinnabar refining to 2200 BCE, nearly five centuries earlier than previous estimates.
This methodology allows for a precision unprecedented in heavy-metal analysis, identifying the specific thermal signatures of ancient smelting pits. The study confirms that early Andean societies possessed a sophisticated understanding of chemical sublimation and mercury toxicity, utilizing these refined pigments for high-status ritual mortuary masks.