Underwater caves once hosted the Americas’ oldest known ochre mines
Now-submerged Mexican caves hold signs of red pigment extraction as early as 12,000 years ago
![diver in underwater Mexican cave](https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/070220_BB_ochre-mining_feat.jpg?fit=1028%2C579&ssl=1)
A diver collects burned wood from a fire pit in the oldest known ochre mine in the Americas. People extracted red pigment from chambers deep in a now-submerged Mexican cave system between around 12,000 and 10,000 years ago, scientists say.
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