red ochre
Cave painting color
Red ochre is a natural clay pigment ranging from rusty orange to deep brownish-red, colored by iron oxide.
Used since prehistoric times for cave paintings, body decoration, and pottery, it remains valued for its earthy warmth and permanence.
Also spelled red ocher.
Prehistoric artwork on stone
- petroglyphsCarvings on natural stone
- rock artImages on natural stone
- body paintPigment worn directly on skin
- ritualsCeremonial repeated practices
prehistoric · paleolithic · neolithic · Lascaux · Aboriginal · shamanism · ceremonial · hunter-gatherers
Iron oxide ore
- iron oxideFe plus oxygen
- clayMoldable earth for ceramics
- sedimentParticles settling in liquid
- depositPlace for safekeeping
quarry · strata · mineral · oxidation · weathering · laterite · ferruginous · outcrop
Iron oxide ore
- iron oxideFe plus oxygen
- colorantSubstance that imparts hue
- cinnabarRed mercuric sulfide ore
- vermilionVivid red-orange pigment
sienna · burnt sienna · raw sienna · umber · madder · terracotta · ferric · natural dye
cave paintings
Prehistoric artwork on stone
- petroglyphsCarvings on natural stone
- rock artImages on natural stone
- body paintPigment worn directly on skin
rituals · prehistoric · paleolithic · neolithic · Lascaux · Aboriginal · shamanism · ceremonial · hunter-gatherers · Homo sapiens
hematite
Iron oxide ore
- iron oxideFe plus oxygen
- clayMoldable earth for ceramics
- sedimentParticles settling in liquid
deposit · quarry · strata · mineral · oxidation · weathering · laterite · ferruginous · outcrop · bedrock
hematite
Iron oxide ore
- iron oxideFe plus oxygen
- colorantSubstance that imparts hue
- cinnabarRed mercuric sulfide ore
vermilion · sienna · burnt sienna · raw sienna · umber · madder · terracotta · ferric · natural dye · powder
painting
Pigment on canvas
- underpaintingPreliminary painted foundation
- glazeThin lustrous coating
- frescoWet plaster painting technique
tempera · encaustic · wash · canvas · palette · brushwork · impasto · ground · primer · medium
- brown shadesbrown, tan, beige, taupe, sepia
- Reddish-Brownrusset, sienna, burnt sienna, auburn, chestnut
- ancient artsculpture, sculptures, pottery, mosaics, murals
- ancient cosmeticskohl, galena, malachite, face paint, perfume
- cave artcave painting, cave paintings, Lascaux, Altamira, hand stencils
- historical beautykohl, rouge, carmine, vermilion, white lead
red ochreblue pigment
Coloring agent, cool-toned
ultramarine · cobalt blue · azurite · cerulean · viridian
red, reddish, redness, reddened, reddest, reddening, ocher, reddens, ochre