Europe’s Oldest Blue Pigment Repaints Prehistoric Art History

In a groundbreaking archaeological discovery that reshapes our understanding of Paleolithic art, researchers have uncovered the earliest evidence of blue mineral pigment use in Europe. Dating back approximately 13,000 years, the find at Mühlheim-Dietesheim, Germany, predates previously known blue pigment usage by millennia and suggests our prehistoric ancestors had access to a far more sophisticated color palette than scholars believed possible.

The discovery centers on a palm-sized stone artifact initially identified as an oil lamp when first excavated from this Final Paleolithic era site. However, advanced scientific analysis revealed traces of vivid blue residue containing azurite, a copper carbonate mineral that produces brilliant blue coloration when processed. The research, published in the journal Antiquity, represents the first documented use of blue mineral pigments during Europe’s Paleolithic period records a National Geographic report.

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