[Aztlan] Aztlan Digest, Vol 26, Issue 28 Iron Ore

[Hoopes, John W]

Ochre can be bright red, too:
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_ochre
 
Speaking of ochre mining, I remember noticing large deposits of bright red ochre (?) in Loltún Cave, where it is possible to see from stains on the walls where it was dug out in large quantities (and sometimes used to paint hands and other things on the walls).  It struck me that the abundant grinding tools found in the cave may have been used for processing red powder, and that this material may have been mined as a red pigment for coating the surfaces of buildings.
 
Needless to say, flowing water in these underground sediments brings the "Blood River" of the Popol Vuh to mind and extraction of bright red pigment from underground may have been done for the symbolic application of the Earth's "blood" to pyramids and other architecture.
 
Is there documentation of ochre mining in the Maya lowlands?  Do we know the sources of the red pigment used at massive sites like El Mirador and Tikal?  Cinnabar/vermillion (mercuric sulfide), of course, is another red pigment that was used in quantities at Copán and elsewhere.
 
John Hoopes

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From: aztlan-bounces at lists.famsi.org on behalf of rod44 at comcast.net
Sent: Tue 1/29/2008 5:49 PM
To: aztlan at lists.famsi.org
Subject: Re: [Aztlan] Aztlan Digest, Vol 26, Issue 28 Iron Ore




 Nice discovery about the iron mine.....   However....   Hematite produces a vivid red color as a pigment, not ocher, (hence the name "hema"  as in blood).  It is the hydrated ores of iron, Limonite, that produces the ocher color.  Hematite can also take a fine polish and was used for mirrors   (as in Tezcatlipocas) and other decorative items.  It can also be an ore of the metal but the temperatures required were probably beyond  Amerindian capabilities.
Please clarify what was found.