Green (2024) Oxford Journal of Archaeology Red ochre, a naturally occurring clay, can stain bones, Green said, but there was none at the Nescot site, meaning the staining was intentional.

Early Use of Natural Pigments Evidence shows that early humans used natural substances like red ochre, a type of iron-rich clay, to create color. Red ochre has been found in archaeological sites ...

For the first time, researchers have found evidence that people were using red ochre in West Africa during ... Adding some much-needed color to this archaeological black hole, the study authors ...