Geomaterials for medicine or alchemy in a Western Han (206BCE–8CE) Tomb at Hongtushan, Shandong

This study examines geomaterials from the Western Han Hongtushan tomb in Shandong, using an integrated analytical approach that includes optical imaging, Raman spectroscopy, handheld XRF, XRD, and EPMA. Several types of geomaterials were identified: cinnabar, realgar, talc, kaolinite and its hydrothermal variant, quartz, calcite, and semi-fossilized oyster shell. The cinnabar shows selenium substitution and is associated with barite, suggesting its origin from the northeastern Guizhou mercury metallogenic belt. Other materials like talc, kaolinite, and quartz are likely sourced regionally. Comparing early Chinese medical and alchemical texts shows a strong correlation between geomaterials and substances like Dānshā, Huáshí, and Bái Shíyīng. This suggests that Han-period geomaterial choices were methodical and based on empirical understanding, highlighting the connection between medicine, material science, and cultural symbolism.