Seeing Red

Sites that represent early "artistic" tendencies are notable for the prevalence of the color red found in the material record, specifically in the form of red ochre. What does this mean? Could it be just that red ochre was the only material available, or does the prevalence of red at these sites indicate something deeper, like an early form of symbolism? 

Some researchers have proposed that the preference for certain colors (usually red or black) indicates that symbolic meanings were embedded in these types of materials, usually ochre. At Blombos Cave in South Africa, evidence of a 100,000 year-old "paint workshop" has been found, where ochre was fixed with marrow fat to make paint. Another site, the 92,000 year-old Qafzeh Cave site in Israel, is also notable for its ochre remains. A team of researchers working at Qafzeh Cave determined that the ochre remains found there were mined and selected specifically for their red hue. They asserted that these findings represent an early form of symbolic behavior incorporating the use of color.

A selection of common modern color-associations

Symbolic color systems are found throughout the world in modern human societies. Some scholars believe that these or similar systems were around at the time of the Qafzeh Cave occupation. This belief is supported by the notion that human brain anatomy from that time (about 92,000 years ago) was similar to that of modern Homo sapiens today. In any case, red in particular carries a lot of symbolic power throughout the world. In modern societies, it is often associated with life, success, and victory; and red is thought to have been associated with life, death, menstruation, and fertility in prehistoric times, as well. 

It is important to be aware that some scholars have proposed practical, rather than symbolic, functions for the ochre, such as in medicine or as a sealing substance. It is very difficult to draw conclusions about a subject as abstract as color symbolism, so we may never be certain about the true significance of the ochre remains at sites like Qafzeh and Blombos Caves.  

sources:

• Hovers et al. 2003. "An Early Case for Color Symbolism: Ochre Use by Modern Humans in Qafzeh Cave". Current Anthropology. 4:491-522
• Wilford, JN. "In African Cave, Signs of an Ancient Paint Factory". New York Times. 10/13/2011. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/14/science/14paint.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&ref=johnnoblewilford&adxnnlx=1348722285-Shsqq6HAEKa6TljExgTewA

images:

• Ochre: http://www.bnminerals.com/red-ochre-mineral.htm
• Chart: https://teknonics.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/color-meanings.gif