In addition to the first forms of democracy and a unique history, evidence has recently emerged that there may have been lead contamination in ancient Greece.
In the birthplace of Western philosophy, a team of researchers found sediment cores recovered from the mainland and the Aegean Sea that were surprising.
These are the oldest known evidence of lead contamination in the environment, dating back to about 5200 years ago.
Traces of lead found in ancient Greece
This evidence dates back about 1200 years before the time when the first signs of this type of contamination were recorded (in a peat bog in Serbia).
Greece may have experienced the first form of metal contamination. (Photo: Pixabay).
In antiquity, lead was released into the atmosphere as a byproduct of the smelting of copper and silver ores. The toxic metal condensed later in the form of dust and settled on the ground.
“Silver was used for jewelry and special items, but it was not found in its pure state, but rather in the form of a mineral combined with lead,” explains Joseph Maran, an archaeologist from the University of Heidelberg.
Maran is a co-author of the recent study published on Thursday in Communications Earth and Environment. The site with the first signs of lead contamination is located in northeastern Greece, near the island of Thasos.
According to the researcher, previous archaeological evidence suggests that Thasos was one of the most important places in the region for silver extraction and metallurgy.
“The lead released by smelting is the first form of toxic or industrial pollution in the world,” explained Yale historian Joseph Manning to EuroNews, who was not involved in this study.
Lead contamination in Roman times
Researchers discovered, however, that lead contamination levels remained quite “low and localized” in ancient Greece.
Metal smelting pollution, present in ancient civilizations. (Photo: Pixabay).
However, about 2150 years ago, they detected “a very strong and abrupt increase” in lead emissions caused by human activities throughout Greece, according to Andreas Koutsodendris, a co-author of the study.
The professor at the University of Heidelberg also pointed out that, at that time, in the year 146 B.C., the Roman Army had conquered the Greek peninsula.
With the expansion of Roman trade, colonies, and navigation in the Mediterranean and Black Seas, the demand for silver coins had also increased.
For this purpose, smelting was necessary, which released lead. Later, the Roman Empire used lead for dishes and construction, including pipes.
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