The question of who first discovered the element mercury is complex because its existence was known long before the advent of modern chemistry. Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80, and it is singular among the elements. This heavy, silvery substance is the only metallic element that remains a liquid at standard temperature and pressure, a property that has captivated people for millennia. Its unique, flowing state led to its ancient name, quicksilver.
Known Since Antiquity
No single person or date can be credited with the “discovery” of mercury because it was encountered and used by various civilizations in its native state. Archaeological evidence confirms its use by the ancient Chinese and Hindus, and samples have been recovered from Egyptian tombs dating back to at least 1500 BCE. The substance was sourced from its primary ore, cinnabar, a vivid red mineral composed of mercuric sulfide (HgS).
This cinnabar was highly valued and processed by ancient peoples to create vermilion, a brilliant red pigment. Evidence of cinnabar use for painting has been found in Neolithic sites in Turkey dating back to 7000–8000 BCE. Obtaining the pure, liquid metal was a simple process of heating the cinnabar ore, which vaporized the mercury, allowing it to be collected upon cooling.
The Romans famously exploited the cinnabar deposits in Spain, using the mines as penal institutions where workers faced severe mercury poisoning. In ancient China, mercury was sought for its supposed ability to confer longevity or immortality, being a frequent component of alchemical elixirs. The widespread ancient knowledge and use of both the ore and the elemental liquid mean that mercury was known by observation, not by a formal scientific process of isolation or classification.
Defining Mercury as an Element
The transition from ancient knowledge to scientific classification began with the shift from alchemy to chemistry in the 17th and 18th centuries. Alchemists, who often referred to the metal as quicksilver, considered mercury one of the three fundamental principles, believing it to be a key component of all metals. This philosophical view differed greatly from the later scientific definition of an element.
The formal scientific categorization of mercury as an irreducible element occurred during the Chemical Revolution. Scientists like Antoine Lavoisier established the modern concept of a chemical element and compiled the first comprehensive list of these substances. In his influential 1787 work, Méthode de nomenclature chimique, Lavoisier formally included mercury as a simple body.
This classification was the true scientific “discovery” moment, as it moved mercury from a known substance with mystical properties to a defined chemical entity. Lavoisier, along with Joseph Priestley, used a mercury compound, mercury(II) oxide, in experiments instrumental in understanding and isolating oxygen. By compiling it into the first modern table of elements, Lavoisier solidified its place in the periodic table.
The Historical Name and Symbol
The name “mercury” is derived from the Roman messenger god, Mercury, known for his speed and mobility, mirroring the quick, flowing nature of the liquid metal. Alchemists adopted this name, associating the metal with the planet Mercury, which moves swiftly across the sky. The name replaced the more descriptive term “quicksilver” in scientific circles.
The chemical symbol for the element, “Hg,” comes from the Latinized Greek word hydrargyrum, which means “water-silver” or “liquid silver.” The Greeks initially called the substance hydrargyros, directly referencing its appearance as a silver-colored liquid. This ancient Greek description is preserved in the symbol.