13,000-year-old azurite pigment found on a misidentified sandstone artifact near Frankfurt! Upper Paleolithic people ground blue pigment using a concave stone surface. Material sourced just 10 miles away along the River Main. Body decoration or dyeing organic materials? 💙
Europe's oldest blue pigment discovered in 13,000-year-old German artifact
Key facts
- Azurite pigment found on sandstone artifact from Frankfurt, Germany
- Dated to approximately 13,000 years ago
- Artifact previously misidentified as oil lamp in museum collection
- Found on riverbank in late 1970s
- Identified through micro X-ray fluorescence analysis
- Concave stone surface used for grinding and processing azurite into powder
- Nearest azurite deposit located roughly 10 miles away along River Main
- Lead isotope analysis shows locally sourced material
- Upper Paleolithic evidence of blue pigment use in Europe
- Suggests blue pigments used for body decoration or dying organic materials
- Parallel finding: indigo dye processing from Georgian Caucasus cave dated to 34,000 years ago
Sources
popsci.com
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