ARubiaspp.‐based red pigment on bones from the megalithic passage grave ofEl Moreco(Huidobro, Burgos, Spain)

Abstract

AbstractThroughout prehistoric times it was common to smear red pigment on the bodies of the dead. Iron oxide was the most common pigment, but other pigments were also used. In this work, two red‐stained bones from the megalithic tomb ofEl Morecowere characterized by SEM‐EDS, FTIR, and GC–MS. The results provide evidence for the usage of a pigment obtained fromRubiaspp. This finding constitutes one of the oldest evidences of the use of madder red in Western Europe (IV‐III millennium BC) and, without ruling out other functions, suggests that it could have been used as a textile dye.