Ochre was a crucial tool in early human innovation
- Wits University
New research challenge the long-standing assumption that ochre was used solely for symbolic or decorative purposes.
A study by the Centre for Early Sapiens Behaviour (SapienCE) has overturned long-held beliefs about early human technology, revealing that ochre – often regarded as purely symbolic – was in fact used as a sophisticated tool in the manufacture of stone weapons more than 70,000 years ago.
The discovery was made by Bergen University archaeologist Dr Elizabeth Velliky while examining artefacts from Blombos Cave, a key Middle Stone Age site on South Africa’s southern Cape coast, well known for its early evidence of symbolic behaviour. Among the finds, Velliky identified a piece of ochre with a distinctive shape and use-wear markings unlike those typically associated with pigment production – suggesting a more practical, technological function.
“We now know that ochre was a multi-use tool that played a vital role in the daily lives of early modern humans,” said Velliky. “This could fundamentally shift how we understand ochre, and the technological sophistication of our ancestors.”
The study, published in Science Advances, confirms that ochre was deliberately shaped and used as a retouching implement – a type of prehistoric tool used to refine and sharpen stone weapons through pressure flaking and percussion. These techniques were central to the production of Still Bay points – finely crafted, symmetrical spearheads that showcase remarkable skill.
Analysis of seven ochre fragments dated to between 90,000 and 70,000 years ago revealed consistent shaping and wear patterns. These were not simply picked up at random, but purposefully modified to suit the needs of expert toolmakers.
The standardisation of these ochre tools – along with the advanced methods they supported – suggests they were the tools of highly skilled individuals within early Homo sapiens communities.
“These were most likely the personal tools of master craftsmen,” said Professor Francesco d’Errico, co-author of the study. “They may have functioned not only as practical instruments, but also as markers of personal identity or technical prowess.”
The findings challenge the long-standing assumption that ochre was used solely for symbolic or decorative purposes, such as body painting or ritual. Instead, the evidence points to its integration into a technological toolkit, at the heart of how early humans shaped their environment.
According to the SapienCE research team – including Dr Karen van Niekerk and Professor Christopher Henshilwood of the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits University) – the discovery adds to growing evidence that behavioural modernity emerged much earlier than previously thought. This includes not only symbolic thinking, but also innovation, dexterity, and forward planning.
“We now have clear proof that ochre was not just a symbolic material, but a central component in specialised tool production,” said Henshilwood, who also serves as director of SapienCE. “This points to a level of technological complexity we once believed only appeared far later in human evolution.”
Van Niekerk, who has led recent excavations at Blombos Cave, hopes this find will encourage renewed interest in ochre’s multifunctionality across other archaeological contexts.
Recognising ochre as a functional tool – rather than merely a pigment source – forces a reassessment of how early humans engaged with materials and how such practices reflect their cognitive and cultural capabilities.
“This discovery adds another dimension to our understanding of early Homo sapiens’ behavioural complexity,” said van Niekerk. “It highlights the adaptability, creativity, and technological ingenuity of our ancestors – and how they laid the foundation for the tools we use today.”