Wow, thanks for the reference. Maybe my beads & the Lacis box are ok since they are probably polymer. The color & carving look so intriguing. Susan, Erie PA
---- Christiane <[email protected]> wrote: > It is poisonous: > Cinnabar has been used for its color in the new world since the Olmec > culture.[10] Cinnabar was often used in royal burial chambers during the peak > of Mayan civilization. The red stone was inserted into limestone sarcophagi, > both as a decoration and, more importantly, to deter vandals and thieves with > its well-known toxicity.[11] > The most popularly known use of cinnabar is in Chinese carved lacquerware, a > technique that apparently originated in the Song Dynasty.[12] The danger of > mercury poisoning may be reduced in ancient lacquerware by entraining the > powdered pigment in lacquer,[13] but could still pose an environmental hazard > if the pieces were accidentally destroyed. In the modern jewelry industry, > the toxic pigment is replaced by a resin-based polymer that approximates the > appearance of pigmented lacquer. > In the Byzantine Empire, the Emperor and certain privileged bishops (such as > the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Archbishop of Cyprus) were allowed the > exclusive right of signing their names with ink colored vermilion by the > addition of cinnabar. > > > > > - To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to [email protected]
