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/.