A Brief History of Its Uses From 30,000 Years Ago To Today 1

From using natural pigments for ritualistic cave paintings over 30,000 years ago to modern day therapy, colour has had an immense impact on humans. It has provided humans with medical techniques and a way to distinguish between class systems. As you read on, you will learn about the beginnings of colour through a brief colour history and how pigments and dyes were originally created and used, giving you a better understanding of the impact that colour has on the world around you.

Colour has been used for more than 30,000 years, beginning with cave paintings. Examples of famous cave paintings include those at Lascaux, La Ferrasie and the Chauvet Cave in France. When the early Egyptians used colour they believed it had magical abilities, often to do with healing. They created the colours red, yellow and orange through developing pigments in the soil. “Blue Frit” was also created by the Egyptians over 5000 years ago by grinding down blue grass. Red dye was more valuable than gold to the Aztecs, who created the colour by crushing the female cochineal beetle. Yellow was produced from concentrated cow urine mixed with mud and sepia from the dried ink sac of squid. The colour “Red Lead” was discovered by accident around 2500 CE. The first washable paint was produced in the 1870s and it was called “Charlton White” In 1880, the Sherwin-Williams company perfected a formula that was of better quality than all other paints at the time. From this time forward new colours and paints have been easily accessible all over the world. A Brief History of Colour Cave Painting from the Lascaux Caves in France. *2

Colour has been used for more than 30,000 years, beginning with cave paintings. Examples of famous cave paintings include those at Lascaux, La Ferrasie and the Chauvet Cave in France.

When the early Egyptians used colour they believed it had magical abilities, often to do with healing. They created the colours red, yellow and orange through developing pigments in the soil. “Blue Frit” was also created by the Egyptians over 5000 years ago by grinding down blue grass.

Red dye was more valuable than gold to the Aztecs, who created the colour by crushing the female cochineal beetle.

Yellow was produced from concentrated cow urine mixed with mud and sepia from the dried ink sac of squid. The colour “Red Lead” was discovered by accident around 2500 CE.

The first washable paint was produced in the 1870s and it was called “Charlton White”

In 1880, the Sherwin-Williams company perfected a formula that was of better quality than all other paints at the time.

From this time forward new colours and paints have been easily accessible all over the world.

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Historical Figures Plato Plato made one of the first discoveries about colour. He found that when to colours are mixed together they create a third colour. Colour manufacturing has forever been changed by his discovery. Sir Isaac Newton Newton made one of the most important historical discoveries about white light and colour (seen in the previous slide). By directing sunlight into a prism he observed that seven colours were projected out of the other side. To make sure that the prism was not colouring the light he blocked six out of seven of the colours and let one ray of colour go through another prism. When this ray left the second prism it was the same colour as it had been when it started. This discovery changed the world’s understanding of light and colour, and he was the first to understand the rainbow. *4 *5

Colours Most Commonly Used in the World’s Flags Note: This is a condensed version of the statistics. Instead of creating a portion for every shade of every colour, they are all combined under the closest primary or secondary colour.

The Languages with the Largest Number of Abstract Names for Colour Note: Abstract names for colour refer to those that have not been borrowed from a common object. For example, black is an “abstract” colour name whereas orange is a “descriptive” colour name because it has been borrowed from the fruit. Number of Abstract Names

Uses of Colour In Modern Times: Colour Therapy As stated previously in the “Brief History of Colour,” the Ancient Egyptians believed that colour had healing properties. More than 2000 years ago the Chinese were known to practice Colour Healing and to record colour diagnoses. Findings about the effect of colour on humans, animals and plants were published in 1876 by Augustus Pleasanton. He also found that blue light had healing effects for diseases and pain, however the medical establishment dismissed his findings as unscientific. Rudolph Steiner carried out a study on colour during the early 20 th century. He found that colour and shape have either negative or positive effects on living organisms. Studies carried out by Theo Gimbel later on showed that states of mind can be seen through colour preferences. Today, the interest in colour therapy has grown and it is practiced around the world for the healing of depression, bronchitis and migraines to name a few reasons. *6

As stated previously in the “Brief History of Colour,” the Ancient Egyptians believed that colour had healing properties.

More than 2000 years ago the Chinese were known to practice Colour Healing and to record colour diagnoses.

Findings about the effect of colour on humans, animals and plants were published in 1876 by Augustus Pleasanton. He also found that blue light had healing effects for diseases and pain, however the medical establishment dismissed his findings as unscientific.

Rudolph Steiner carried out a study on colour during the early 20 th century. He found that colour and shape have either negative or positive effects on living organisms.

Studies carried out by Theo Gimbel later on showed that states of mind can be seen through colour preferences.

Today, the interest in colour therapy has grown and it is practiced around the world for the healing of depression, bronchitis and migraines to name a few reasons.

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References and Works Cited Web Materials Bekman, Stas. (2008). Introduction to Colour Therapy. Retrieved Wednesday October 1, 2008 from http://stason.org/TULARC/health/alternative- medicine/Introduction-to-Color-Therapy.html Colour Name. (2008). In Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia. . Retrieved Wednesday October 1, 2008, from Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia . Ilyas, Shahee. (2007) Flags By Colours. Retrieved Wednesday October 1, 2008 from http://shaheeilyas.com/flags/ Little Monkey Murals. (N.A.) The History of Colour. Retrieved Wednesday October 1, 2008, from http://www.littlemonkeymurals.com/ColoursHistory.htm The Society of Dyers and Colourists. (2005) The History of Colour . Retrieved Wednesday October 1, 2008, from http://www.colour-experience. org/colouriser/colour_therapy/therapy_1.htm Image Citations *1 http://www.qbn.com/topics/547080/ *2 http://www.spacetoday.org/SolSys/Earth/OldStarCharts.html *3 http://www.exploratorium.edu/imagery/stills/prism *4 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b2/Isaac_Newton. jpeg/481px-Isaac_Newton.jpeg *5 http://www.stenudd.com/myth/greek/plato.htm *6 http://www.webdesign.org/img_articles/238/final.jpg *7 http://www.mydreamwedding.ca/search/wedding+colours