Acta Anthropologica Sinica ›› 2024, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (02): 331-343.doi: 10.16359/j.1000-3193/AAS.2023.0061

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Analysis methods on Paleolithic age archaeological remains of ochre using

XU Jingwen1,2,3(), HUAN Faxiang1,2,3, YANG Shixia1,2()   

  1. 1. Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origin of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100044
    2. Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100044
    3. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049
  • Received:2023-02-27 Revised:2023-05-26 Online:2024-04-15 Published:2024-04-02

Abstract:

Ochre is one of the most common mineral pigments in archaeological studies. The current archaeological evidence suggests that the use of ochre became more common since 100 ka years ago, which was important for human adaptation to the more drastic environmental changes and the continuous interaction of social culture network. Recently, more and more archaeological remains related to ochre-using have been unearthed and identified in China, however, the research work needs to be further developed. Therefore, how to make comprehensive use of various test schemes to deeply explore the development pattern and ethnological significance of human behavior indicated by the ochre pigment needs us to make a systematic summary. In this paper, referring to the international studies in the fields of archaeology, geophysics and chemistry, ethnology and so on, we concluded the main parts of paleolithic age archaeological ochre analysis asthe qualitative chemical composition, analysis of provenance, and operational technology. The multidisciplinary comprehensive analysis on archaeological remains of ochre using is a potential research field, hitherto, the examples of domestic ochre using is still limited.

Key words: Paleolithic, Ochre, Physicochemical analysis, Anthropology

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