The Artists of 100,000 Years Ago

The artists of yesteryear had so much more time than today's artists — at least that's what today's artists would say.

Truth be told, artists in ancient times were more than likely scarce and scared, but that's perhaps another story.

Our story for today is that researchers have discovered in a South African cave the remains of what they think is an artist's studio. The evidence for this is rather rich — in ochre. In a pair of abalone shells was a bit of material rich in ochre. Alongside the shells were bones, charcoal, and such tools of the trade as grindstones and hammerstones. The working theory is that the ancient people (or at least those who were around 100,000 years ago) used bones to stir the ochre mixture and then use that ochre mixture for decoration. All of these things were buried underneath sand, as if (the researchers speculate) someone had intended to come back for them but never returned.

The researchers discovered the items in 2008 and subjected them to large volumes of luminescence dating and other analysis before announcing the findings, which also included a theory that the "painters" rubbed bits of ochre on quartzite slabs to make a red powder — perhaps evidence of an early form of chemistry.

It was not the first announcement from the cave: Eons ago — or at least back in 2002 — researchers found blocks of ochre containing engravings in the abstract, dating from 70,000 years ago. Other discoveries have come from the cave as well. Clearly, this was a group of people who had time on their hands.

The name of the cave needs a bit of work if it's to be accepted by the norms of society: Blombos Cave, on the southern Cape Coast, on points east of Cape Town.

We can't have everything.