Mercury in History

Neutron absorption Thermal neutron capture cross section 375 barns 

Heinrich Schliemann is well known for his discovery of the city of ancient Troy, and the excavation work he carried out. Less well known is his finding of a small quantity of mercury in a Httle coconut-shaped amulet in the great temple at Kurna, Egypt, which was built in 1400 bc. It is probably the most ancient sample of mercury and could be dated to the 15 or 16 century bc. 

In China and India findings of mercury from ancient times have also been made. But obviously it took a long time before a common knowledge about the liquid silver was established. The Chinese alchemist Ko Hung (ad 281-361) wrote  

Many do not even know that mercury comes out from cinnabar (tan sha). 

When told they still refuse to believe it, saying that cinnabar is red, and how can it produce a white substance They also say that cinnabar is a stone, which when heated turn to ashes and how then can anything else be expected of tan sha  

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