Science · Research & investigation
Francesco d’Errico
Archaeological researcher of early graphic behavior
Also known as Francesco d'Errico
Who they are
Francesco d’Errico coauthored the 2018 analysis of an ochre-marked flake from Blombos Cave in South Africa. The team examined the material and pattern of the lines to assess whether they had been intentionally drawn. The object records early graphic practice, while its original meaning remains unknown.
He contributes to the timeline’s archaeological evidence for the development of human symbolic behavior.
Selected contributions
- Coauthored the study identifying intentionally applied ochre lines on the Blombos flake.Source ↗
Selected works
Academic paper · 2018 · Peer-reviewed article; linked author manuscript
An abstract drawing from the 73,000-year-old levels at Blombos Cave, South Africa
The authors analyze red lines on a silcrete flake from Blombos Cave and argue that they were deliberately drawn with ochre. The work concerns a roughly 73,000-year-old artifact; the meaning of the design remains unknown.
Reading scope & citation
Reused prior inspected evidence: Downloaded manuscript; visually inspected PDF pages 2–3 because body text was rasterised. Relevant captions and available extracted text inspected; not a complete independent methods review. Reuses documented prior inspection: Downloaded manuscript; visually inspected PDF pages 2–3 because body text was rasterised. Relevant captions and available extracted text inspected; not a complete independent methods review. Reuses the input’s documented prior inspection: Downloaded manuscript; visually inspected PDF pages 2–3 because body text was rasterised. Relevant captions and available extracted text inspected; not a complete independent methods review. No fresh full-work reread in this directory pass.
In the timeline
- c. 73,000 years agoAn ochre drawing at Blombos Cave
Biography sources
- An abstract drawing from the 73,000-year-old levels at Blombos Cave, South Africa ↗Nature; author manuscript at HAL