Photo: African Cave Yields Earliest Proof of Beach Living



Ochre specimens with scrape marks found in a South African cave are believed to have been made by early modern humans who used the red pigment in symbolic behavior.

The specimens were part of a find that suggests early humans learned how to live on the coasts 45,000 years earlier than had been thought.

Photograph courtesy the Mossel Bay Archaeology Project/Nature


EMAIL NEWSLETTER Photos and News of the Week

Get the top photos and news of the week from National Geographic News, plus occasional breaking-news alerts.

See Sample >>
Please enter a valid email address
Privacy Policy
NEWS FEEDS    After installing a news reader, click on this icon to download National Geographic News's XML/RSS feed. After installing a news reader, click on this icon to download National Geographic News's XML/RSS feed.

Get our news delivered directly to your desktop—free.
How to Use XML or RSS

ADVERTISEMENT

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC'S PHOTO OF THE DAY

Photo and Headline Widget

Put our latest news and photos on your Web page or desktop—automatically updates! See Sample