The Paleolithic in Color: Color and Other Visual Qualities in Archaeological Discussions of Early Symbolic Behavior

The appearance of colorful earth pigments—primarily red ochre—in the archaeological record dating back to at least 300,000 years ago has long been held by researchers to signal the emergence of symbolic behavior in humanity. Specifically, the deliberate selection and use of this material is connected to its bright color and its ability to transfer that color onto human skin, rock surfaces, and many other materials. Despite this recognition that colorants—and color selection represent some of the earliest evidence for emerging symbolic capacities in our lineage, clear description and discussion of the visual qualities of “symbolic material culture” recovered from Pleistocene-aged sites is surprisingly minimal. In this paper, we present results of a quantitative review of the archaeological literature surrounding early symbolic behavior in relation to how color and other visual aspects are reported. As well as highlighting trends and gaps in research to date, we outline how a more nuanced treatment of the visual qualities of raw materials and/or artifacts created by hominins may provide new insights into the origin and development of symbolism in our genus.