Red, cherry, orange, yellow and pink ferruginous powders have long been observed on Palaeolithic sites along with solid objects of similar material, which used to be labelled as “ochre” or “haematite”. Artefacts below 5 mm in size can carry abundant information on their provenance and processing (mixing with binders, heating, manufacturing with bone and flint tools, rubbing). Powders from selected Palaeolithic sites (Dzierżysław-35,Wierzawice, Michałów-Piaska, Klissoura, Gönnersdorf, Dolní Vĕstonice, Stadice, Monruz) were examined with X-ray diffraction, scanning microscopy, micro-chemical analysis, Raman spectroscopy and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. A database of raw materials and archaeological ferruginous objects is under construction
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