Ochre: The Ancient Toolbox of Middle Stone Age Humans

Ochre, a red or yellowish earth pigment, has been around for ages. People in the Middle Stone Age (MSA) used it for more than just art. They had some clever tricks up their sleeves. Imagine using ochre to tan animal hides, make glue for tools, or even protect their skin. But how do we know this? Well, some smart folks dug up seven ochre pieces from Blombos Cave in South Africa. These pieces are special. They were shaped on purpose and show signs of being used a lot.Now, you might wonder, how do we know these ochre pieces were used for tool-making? Scientists did some experiments. They found that these ochre pieces were used to sharpen stone tools. And get this, when the ochre pieces got dull, they were reshaped to keep working. Pretty cool, right? But why is this important? Well, it shows that ochre was a big deal in the MSA. It wasn't just for painting. It was a key part of their technology. Maybe these ochre tools were special to the people who used them. Maybe they had personal or cultural meaning. We can't be sure, but it's fun to think about. So next time you see a red rock, remember, it might have been someone's tool 70, 000 years ago. Isn't that amazing?