Embedded Files
red ochre
red ochre
Colin Pardoe describes the find:
About 500 grams of ochre was included in the grave, not rubbed over the goods or bodies.
The ochre is a common enough finding at burials. Ochre is, after all, the blood of the earth.
As a tantalising aside, it was reported in the original investigation that the Police had come across a ‘brick’ of some sort, but had tossed it, thinking it was not part of the burials. It was probably another large block of ochre.
Ancient Aboriginal Ochre Trade - Marco StojanovikThe natural clay ochre was one of the most important and valuable trading items for Australian Aboriginal people. An iron oxide pigment, it is found in a range of colours, ranging from white, through yellow to red and brown. Ochre miners would crush the soft ochre rock into a powder and then mix it into a paste, usually with water, but sometimes saliva or the fat or blood of fish, emu, possum or goanna (Josephine Flood, The Moth-hunters). The paste was then utilised for a variety of artistic and decorative purposes, including to adorn the body during corroborees and spiritual ceremonies, decorate wooden and stone implements, in rock art, and even as medicine.
More Resources
More Resources
Learn more about the rock art at Yankee Hat (in our backyard!)
Page updated
Report abuse