Archaeologists in Germany have uncovered something that could change our understanding of early human creativity.
At a site in Mühlheim-Dietesheim, researchers found traces of a bright blue mineral pigment, azurite, on a stone tool that dates back roughly 13,000 years.
This is the earliest evidence of blue pigment ever discovered in Europe, and it challenges long-standing ideas about the colors available to prehistoric artists.
The discovery was made by an international team of scientists and reported in the journal Antiquity.
Using advanced chemical and microscopic analysis, the team confirmed the pigment was azurite, a vivid mineral that was prized for its deep blue tones in later periods of human history.
Until now, however, Paleolithic art was thought to consist only of reds and blacks, created with iron oxides and charcoal. No evidence of blue pigments had ever been seen in European cave paintings or artifacts from this era.
“This changes the picture of Paleolithic pigment use,” says lead researcher Dr. Izzy Wisher from Aarhus University.
“The presence of azurite shows that people in the Paleolithic had a wider knowledge of color sources than we thought, and they may have used them in ways that don’t often survive in the archaeological record.”
The stone with the blue traces was originally believed to be a simple oil lamp.
But the new analysis suggests it may have served as a palette or mixing surface for preparing pigments.
This hints that Paleolithic people may have used azurite for decorating their bodies, dyeing fabrics, or other creative expressions that leave little trace behind after thousands of years.
The find also suggests that early humans were selective in their use of color.
While reds and blacks dominate surviving cave art, blues may have been reserved for special purposes that went beyond rock painting—perhaps related to identity, ritual, or symbolic meaning.
The researchers argue that the discovery calls for a rethinking of how color was used in prehistoric times. Rather than being limited to just two shades, early humans may have experimented with a much richer palette, using different colors in ways that remain largely invisible to us today.
The small flecks of blue preserved on this ancient stone tool provide a rare glimpse into the lost worlds of creativity and symbolism practiced by our ancestors.
They remind us that prehistoric art was likely far more vibrant, diverse, and meaningful than the surviving cave paintings alone suggest.
