What did people use for color long ago?

Long ago, people used color from things they found in nature, like plants and rocks.

Imagine you're coloring a picture with crayons, but instead of crayons, people used parts of plants. They would crush up leaves, flowers, or berries to make dyes, which are like color liquids that can be painted on clothes or paper.

For example, if someone wanted red color, they might use berries. They’d mash them up and mix them with water, kind of like making juice, and then use it to paint on fabric!

Sometimes people used rocks too! Certain kinds of rocks can be ground into powder and mixed with oil or water to make color. These were called pigments, which are like the superpower of color, they stick around even when you move them.

So, long ago, people made colors from things all around them, just like how you might use food coloring to make your own special colors at home!