Red Moroccan Ochre, in pieces

Similar to yellow ochre, red ochres are natural mixtures of different minerals. Yellow and red ochres are both frequently occurring colored earths. Not only they are found in Europe, but in various forms in all regions around the world. Ochres thus belong to the earth pigments used by mankind since primeval times. Prehistoric people for instance used yellow and red ochres for their cave paintings along with black from burnt wood or bones, and white chalk. Throughout the world ochres have since been widely used, for instance as artists’ paint, house paint, and body paint, both due to their low price and positive properties. In most cases the color of red ochre is a result of the high amount of hematite (also called blood ore) or dehydrated iron oxide. In addition, red ochres also consist of various other minerals, often recognizable as bands of yellow, orange or white within the red pieces. This warm bright-red ochre comes from Midelt in central Morocco.