Lead
Lead is a chemical element, Pb, and a heavy metal that is easily extracted from ores. Lead became a major resource and component throughout history, from the fall of the Roman Empire to the start of the Industrial Revolution.
History[edit | edit source]
In 876, after the Viking shieldmaiden Eivor Varinsdottir of the Raven Clan helped Halfdan Ragnarsson of Northumbria defeat the Picts and their allies, Eivor later attended to Halfdan's coronation as king. Within the coronation, Halfdan began coughing and dropped a goblet, a gift from his advisor, Faravid. Eivor inspected the goblet alongside Halfdan's healer, Moira, and they saw that the goblet was made of lead. As Moira recalled how the Romans knew of its poison and realized how her mother actually died, Halfdan soon accused Faravid of poisoning him. Eivor interjected herself and was part in deciding Faravid's fate, after this revelation.[1]
In the Golden Age of Piracy, lead was used as a component to create ammunition for pistols[2] and to reinforce hulls of ships, such as the Portuguese galleon, Princesa do Céu.[3]
During the American Revolutionary War, lead ore was mined, bought and sold as a commodity in the thirteen colonies. The Kanien'kehá:ka Assassin Ratonhnhaké:ton frequently retrieved lead ore from Davenport Homestead's miner, Norris. Along with other materials, Ratonhnhaké:ton was able to craft ammunition for his weapons, such as poison darts, with the help of his homestead's blacksmith Big Dave and Doctor Lyle White. In fact, Big Dave was responsible for manufacturing weapons, like the Naval Duckfoot, and other materials, like flints and black powder, along with other resources, through the use of lead.[4]
Behind the scenes[edit | edit source]
Lead's toxicity was noted in the late 19th century, however well-educated ancient Greek and Roman writers were aware of this fact, especially its symptoms.
Appearances[edit | edit source]
- Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy (first mentioned)
- Assassin's Creed III (first appearance)
- Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
- Assassin's Creed: Pirates
- Discovery Tour: Ancient Greece
- Assassin's Creed: Valhalla
- The World of Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Journey to the North – Logs and Files of a Hidden One (mentioned only)
- Assassin's Creed: Mirage (mentioned in Database entry only)
- Assassin's Creed: Shadows (mentioned in Database entry only)