Asbestos is a Greek word meaning “inextinguishable” or “indestructible”. It is a naturally occurring silicate mineral consisting of magnesium, calcium and iron. It is composed of strong fibres, which are either silky in texture with curly fibres or straight with needle-like fibres.

The Ancient Egyptians embalmed pharaohs with it and made clothing containing asbestos fibres to improve durability. Ancient Scandinavian peoples mixed it in pottery and sealed cracks in their log huts with it. The Persians imported ‘stone wool’ from India and they thought that this material was made from the hair of a small rat-like animal, which lived in fire and died by water.

When the Persians burned the bodies of their dead, they first wrapped them in linen called linum vivum, woven from the stone asbestos. Put into the fire, this cloth wouldn’t burn, and so the ashes were preserved and kept safe to be put into the sepulcher.

Both Strabo and Pliny mentioned the sickness that seemed to follow those who worked with asbestos. It was recommended never to buy asbestos quarry slaves as they often “died young”. Lung ailments were a common problem to anyone who worked with asbestos fibres. Pliny even made reference to the use of a transparent bladder skin as a respirator to avoid inhalation of the dust by slaves.