Ochre hand imprint of Homo erectus revealed

Past Horizons ^ | Saturday, December 21, 2013 | Alexander Binsteiner

[SunkenCiv]

After the recent discovery of several well-preserved hand axes of Acheulean age dating to approximately 500,000 years ago, as well as a phallus shaped object coated with traces of ocre (see Fundsache Homo erectus, Archaeology Online 2012) a number of hammerstones were also recovered... and have clear use marks on the longitudinal edges. However, after close examination... a quartzite hammerstone was shown to have a peculiar line of reddish ochre along a well-defined and particularly striking side. Natural sediment retention in the cobble itself was excluded, and it suddenly became obvious that what was being observed, was the outline of the ball and thumb of a 500,000 year-old hand.

The use surface was compatible with it being held in such a way that the hand would have covered the rest of the cobble, leaving only a partial outline in red ochre, echoing the famous hand prints in the cave paintings of France and Spain.

The hammerstone user was right-handed and the resulting curved trace of colour on the stone was caused by trituration (the process for reducing particle size of a substance by grinding) of ochre with liquid, showing Homo erectus was undoubtedly using this as a form of paint at the site of Lehberg.

Constant use of the hammerstone in the same way and for the same purpose allowed the ochre particles to become ingrained along the same point where the hand would have rubbed against the stone.

[SunkenCiv]

The curved line of ochre represents the imprint of the heel of the hand and the thumb traced along the length of Hammer stone The linear stain was caused by multiple use of the hammer stone in the crushing and rubbing ochre in combination with water. © A. Binsteiner

[SunkenCiv]

[oh8eleven]

Twenty first century equivalent ...

[Sherman Logan]

a phallus shaped object coated with traces of ocre (see Fundsache Homo erectus)

No doubt why he's called Homo erectus.

[SkyDancer]

Or she.

[Pharmboy]

Nice one, Sherm...I smiled broadly.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

... it suddenly became obvious that what was being observed, was the outline of the ball and thumb of a 500,000 year-old hand.

Wow...these anthropologists must have excelled at Highlights Hidden Pictures when they were kids.

[devolve]

- Homo Electus II

[ZOOKER]

When I first read this I thought "Painting with a rock? That doesn't make any sense!"
But I suppose the primitive man was using the rock to grind something into powder (and doing the same with the "phallus-shaped" object). They assume it was pigment, but are they sure?

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

I remember a two panel comic, in the first panel, an Anthropologist explains to his students that ancient people left their hand prints on cave walls with great symbolic meanings.

In the second panel, it showed a caveman leaning against a wall with one hand while urinating, then from another room a caveman yells, “Hey, who ate my chili powder?” Startled, the first caveman sprays red ocher chili powder all over his hand.

[SunkenCiv]

The ochre is still on the rock, so, yes.

[SunkenCiv]

:’D

[SunkenCiv]

Hey, we don’t know that he shouldn’t be called Hetero.

[TruthWillWin]

"....phallus shaped object coated with traces of ocre...."

Prehistoric dildo? What is ocre?

[knak]

Looks like a potato to me. Of course, I live in Idaho.

[Hot Tabasco]

Looks like a petrified potato......

[GeronL]

looks like a rock

[UCANSEE2]

They look more like Helen Thomas’s breast implants.

[SunkenCiv]

It’s an old Irish name.

[llevrok]

If your homo erectus lasts longer than 500,000 years, please consult your physician...