Post by UKarchaeology on Nov 11, 2015 14:30:27 GMT
During the Middle Ages in Europe, only the rich could afford beautifully designed and delicately glazed pottery to hold their food and drink. Unfortunately for them, that same glaze was full of heavy metals and may have deadened their minds as it slowly killed them, according to new research.
These days, doctors know that exposure to mercury damages the nervous system, while lead can affect intelligence and overall health. But unintentional poisonings are common throughout history. The Romans used lead like sugar, which may have contributed to the eventual fall of the Roman Empire.
In the Middle Ages, mercury was commonly used in medicines to cure diseases like syphilis and leprosy, and lead was used to glaze pottery. Salty and acidic foods placed on lead-glazed surfaces would partially dissolve the glaze and seep into the foods, study author Kaare Lund Rasmussen says in a press release.
Curious about if these commonly used substances affected people during the Middle Ages, a team of researchers measured lead and mercury in 207 skeletons from graveyards in both wealthy towns and rural communities in Denmark and Germany.
Full story: www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/lead-poisoning-made-medieval-townspeople-sickly-180957021/?no-ist