A massive open-pit mining site for red ochre has been identified in the central Kenyan Rift Valley, dating to the late Pleistocene. The site includes specialized stone tools used for excavating the pigment-rich ore and large flat stones used for grinding the material into a fine powder.
The scale of the operation suggests that ochre was being produced in quantities far exceeding local needs, potentially serving as a valuable commodity in early regional trade networks. The discovery underscores the long-standing importance of red pigment in human ritual and social identity in East Africa.