Discovering the composition of ancient cosmetics and remedies: analytical techniques and materials

This article reviews the analytical techniques and procedures used in the study of ancient cosmetics, therapeutic chemicals, and remedies found in historical and archaeological sites. Well consolidated techniques based on molecular and atomic spectroscopy, for example FT-IR, Raman, SEM-EDX, and XRD, and analytical procedures based on high-performance chromatography and mass spectrometry, for example GC-MS and HPLC-MS are reviewed. The advantages of recently introduced techniques based on synchrotron radiation and on direct mass spectrometric techniques are also discussed. The possibility of extracting information about composition, preparation techniques, and the degradation processes of ancient cosmetics, pharmaceutics, and ritual balms is analysed by use of several case studies.