Ancient Maya cities used red pigment in temples; study finds it left mercury in lakes for centuries

There were many practices done back in the day that were harmful for people, without them even realising it. But few still continue to cause that harm, even without us doing them today.In this case, a striking red pigment used by the ancient Maya to decorate their temples, artefacts and burial chambers may have left behind a rather unpleasant legacy.A new study published in Science Advanceshas found that the mercury-rich mineral used to produce this pigment contaminated lakes across the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico.

The contamination persisted for centuries, with mercury levels high enough to damage aquatic organisms across multiple levels of the food chain. And while the Maya stopped using the pigment long ago, traces of their activities remain buried beneath the water.What did the ancient Maya use mercury for?The ancient Maya civilisation flourished across parts of present-day Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras and El Salvador.