Archaeological discoveries

10,000 Year Old Pastel Found in Great Britain

Last updated:2022-07-25

The prehistoric pastel recently discovered in England

Great Britain once again proves to be an inexhaustible source of prehistoric archaeological finds :It was buried under a few centimeters of peat for about 10,000 years, but was eventually found, a "pastel" recently unearthed by a team of archaeologists in the Mesolithic site of Star Carr .

At first glance it might seem like a pebble, but this object just over two centimeters long and 7 wide, made of clay and sand, served at the time as a "chalk", in the sense that it was used by local hunters / gatherers for decorative purposes, especially to engrave and color animal skins and to draw on the rocks.

The artifact has a very sharp tip, although originally it must have certainly been much more rounded, a result due to the great use that must have been made of it in ancient times; the ocher , the mineral pigment that composes it, in fact gave a very fashionable and decidedly versatile reddish color (it was good for painting and creating graffiti, but also for dyeing clothes).

It is not excluded that in the area of ​​the discovery, which in the past has seen a number of similar objects come to light, there was already a rudimentary but important "artistic" activity.

To find out more, click here :Http://www.repubblica.it/scienze/2018/01/31/news/e_dai_campi_spunta_un_pastello_e_di_10mila_anni_fa_forse_uno_dei_primi_-187736124/.


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