PROVENANCE OF OCHRE IN THE NATUFIAN LAYERS OF EL-WAD CAVE, MOUNT-CARMEL, ISRAEL

Several types of ochre fragments have been found in the Natufian layer s of el-Wad Cave. The same types also occur in iron oxide veins and in alluvial deposits in the area. The ochre was evidently used to extrac t or produce red haematite pigment, residues of which were found on ba salt pestles in the cave. Experimental heating of ochre from different Carmel outcrops produced a red pigment of various colours and hues th rough transformation of goethite to haematite. Though no positive indi cation for ochre-burning by the Natufians was found, it is known that they used haematite pigment and that they possessed both the raw mater ial (goethite-calcite type ochre) and the technical means to manufactu re it artificially.