cinnabar (mineral)

Scope note: A soft, dense, red, native ore composed of mercuric sulfide, found in deposits in veins near volcanic rocks or hot springs around the world. Cinnabar was mined in the Roman Empire for use as a pigment and for its mercury content; it has been the main source of mercury throughout the centuries. The toxic stone was also used for decoration and a talisman in Mayan tombs, as a colorant in Chinese carved lacquerware, in ink used by high officials in the Byzantine Empire, and other applications. Cinnabar is chemically identical to synthetic red mercuric sulfide, which is called vermilion.

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