Editing Violet (color) (section)

=== Prehistory and antiquity ===
Violet is one of the oldest colors used by humans. Traces of very dark violet, made by grinding the mineral [[manganese]], mixed with water or animal fat and then brushed on the cave wall or applied with the fingers, are found in the [[prehistoric cave art]] in [[Pech Merle]], in France, dating back about 25,000 years. It has also been found in the [[cave of Altamira]] and [[Lascaux]].<ref>Phillip Ball (2001), ''Bright earth- Art and the Invention of Colour'', p. 84</ref> It was sometimes used as an alternative to black charcoal. Sticks of manganese, used for drawing, have been found at sites occupied by [[Neanderthal]]s in France and Israel. From the grinding tools at various sites, it appears it may also have been used to color the body and to decorate animal skins.

More recently, the earliest dates on cave paintings have been pushed back farther than 35,000 years. Hand paintings on rock walls in Australia may be even older, dating back as far as 50,000 years.

Berries of the genus [[rubus]], such as [[Blackberry|blackberries]], were a common source of dyes in antiquity. The ancient Egyptians made a kind of violet dye by combining the juice of the [[mulberry]] with crushed green grapes. The Roman historian [[Pliny the Elder]] reported that the [[Gauls]] used a violet dye made from [[bilberry]] to color the clothing of slaves. These dyes made a satisfactory purple, but it faded quickly in sunlight and when washed.<ref>Anne Varichon (2000), ''Couleurs: pigments et teintures dans les mains des peuples'', p. 146–148</ref>