Description
A natural reddish-brown earth from Cyprus, identified and mined by the Romans. The word ochre is derived from the Greek ‘Ochros’, which means ‘yellowish’. The natural pigment is found everywhere where there is relatively large amounts of iron in the ground. The iron oxidizes and gives the earth the characteristic rust colours. Depending on the other elements present in the earth, the colour can vary from yellow to reddish and brownish. The more manganese oxide there is alongside the iron oxide, the browner the colour.