Ocher is a naturally occurring pigment found in minerals and earth. Many characteristic yellow, red, and orange cave paintings and Paleolithic artworks — some of which remain remarkably well preserved — were done using ocher pigments. “Ocher” came into English via the Old French word “ocre”; however, it developed in Latin by way of the Greek word “ōkhra” (“yellow ocher”). While it is usually associated with a yellowish color, ocher can vary in shade from light yellow to brown and reddish hues. Shades that a poet might call “amber” or “ginger” could be called “ocher” by an artist more familiar with the origins of pigments.