The oldest lipstick dates back 4,000 years. The color was a dark red and its chemical composition was very similar to that of modern lipsticks.
The case that contained it also has a contemporary feel, with the shape of a small cylinder. Hematite, manganite and braunite were the basic ingredients of lipstick, mixed with waxes and vegetable oils. The discovery suggests the possibility that female makeup, in formal and ceremonial social contexts, was an important component of the public manifestation of an elite stratum of the population.