Archaeologica.org

One of these days I am going to do a search about this use of red ochre in burials.

Just seems bizarre.

AFAIK, it's first recorded use, in a burial context, is with the Neanderthals.

It sure was Charlie.

In 46,000 BC, a man was buried in the south of what is now France. His remains were found in a cave and his body had been packed with red ochre clay. This substance has become known as the 'blood of the earth', and it is believed that this kind of burial was a symbolic returning of the body to the earth. In 6,400 BC, a young indian child was buried at Koester in Souther Illinois. The body had been dusted with red chre. In Swaziland, the burial skeleton of a child was discovered which had been returned to the earth and dusted with ashes and red ochre. Years later, Neolithic man was painting himself with red ochre as a symbolic gesture of his rebirth and initiaiton in the new life of the gods (Wondjina figures, 10,000 BC, Australia). In Catal Huyuk in Turkey, red ochre, rebirth and reincarnation go hand in hand... All the countries of the world share a common religious belief system. To have such system spread over vast areas of the globe, would require an early understanding of the stars for navigation.There are more links between faiths, beliefs and religions than their stories.

I'm not prepared to go as far as this guy....yet.

The search phrase "red ochre" burial had 34,600 hits on Google. Granted a lot are duplicates but even so...........

Which again raises the idea of common heritage I think.

Minimalist wrote:I'm not prepared to go as far as this guy....yet.

In 46,000 BC, a man was buried in the south of what is now France. His remains were found in a cave and his body had been packed with red ochre clay. This substance has become known as the 'blood of the earth', and it is believed that this kind of burial was a symbolic returning of the body to the earth. In 6,400 BC, a young indian child was buried at Koester in Souther Illinois. The body had been dusted with red chre. In Swaziland, the burial skeleton of a child was discovered which had been returned to the earth and dusted with ashes and red ochre. Years later, Neolithic man was painting himself with red ochre as a symbolic gesture of his rebirth and initiaiton in the new life of the gods (Wondjina figures, 10,000 BC, Australia). In Catal Huyuk in Turkey, red ochre, rebirth and reincarnation go hand in hand... All the countries of the world share a common religious belief system. To have such system spread over vast areas of the globe, would require an early understanding of the stars for navigation.There are more links between faiths, beliefs and religions than their stories.

http://dyg2.tripod.com/id45.html

I believe I read somewhere that Neanderthals were much like Inuits

nah
Neanderthals didnt eat fish much
and they only had one word for snow
it was "Ug"

Charlie Hatchett wrote:

nah
Neanderthals didnt eat fish much
and they only had one word for snow
it was "Ug"

from a neanderthal "interpretation" which I personally find insulting, at Tutavel







Oh, no.