Ochre is a natural clay pigment that creates colors ranging from yellow to deep reddish-brown. Artists, builders, and decorators have used ochre for over 100,000 years, making it one of humanity's oldest paints. The ancient Egyptians painted tomb walls with ochre. Cave painters in France and Spain used it to create stunning images of animals tens of thousands of years ago.

The color comes from iron oxide mixed with clay, the same substance that makes rust look reddish-orange. Depending on how much iron is present and whether it has been heated, ochre can be pale yellow, burnt orange, or rich brown. Artists call the reddish version “red ochre” and the yellowish version “yellow ochre.”

You might see ochre in the warm terracotta colors of Southwestern architecture or in the earthy tones of Aboriginal rock paintings in Australia. Because ochre is just colored earth, it's cheap, permanent, and found naturally all over the world. Unlike many modern paints that fade or change over time, prehistoric ochre paintings still look vivid today. When you see ancient art that has lasted for millennia, there's a good chance you're looking at ochre.