All articles tagged with #ochre
New evidence suggests Neanderthals used ochre not only for practical purposes but also for symbolic or artistic activities, with deliberate shaping and engraving of ochre fragments indicating complex cognition and potential communication or identity expression, challenging the view that symbolic behavior was exclusive to Homo sapiens.
A 42,000-year-old ocher fragment found in Neanderthal sites suggests they used it as a crayon-like tool for drawing or marking, indicating symbolic behavior and challenging stereotypes of Neanderthals as lacking culture.
Archaeologists in Spain discovered a 43,000-year-old rock resembling a face with a red ochre spot and a possible Neanderthal fingerprint, suggesting early symbolic behavior and art, though some experts remain skeptical about the interpretation.