The yellow and red ocher pigment was used in prehistoric and ancient times by many different civilizations on different continents. Archaeologists date evidence of ocher treatment to a lesser extent in Africa and Europe to 300,000 years ago, evidence of ocher use in Australia dates back 50,000 years, and new research has found evidence in Asia dating back 40,000 years.

Pieces of ocher engraved with abstract designs have been found at the site of Blombos Cave in South Africa, dated to about 75,000 years ago. In Wales, a Paleolithic burial dubbed the "Red Lady of Paviland" because of its red ocher coating has been dated to about 33,000 years before present. Animal images made with red and yellow ocher pigments have been found at Paleolithic sites at Pecs-Merle in France (about 25,000 years old) and in the Altamira Cave in Spain (about 16,500-15,000 BC). In the Lascaux cave there is an image of a horse painted with yellow ocher, which is estimated to be 17,300 years old.

• Chemical description: Rock. Calcined ocher is light. The color is red with a brown tint.

• Chemical formula: FeO(OH)

• Light fastness - 8

•ColorIndex PR 102

• Glazing

•Suitable Acrylic, Fresco, Ceramic, Oil, Tempera, Watercolor/Gouache, Cement/Plaster

• Color brownish red

Alkali resistance: 5

• Lime resistance: 5

• Acid resistance: 5