At some Spanish sites, pigment appears on shells that may have been worn or carried.

Shanidar Cave itself has a long history of ochre association, though the interpretation of specific deposits is debated.

The presence of red pigment near burial contexts at Neanderthal sites is one of the recurring observations that feeds the ongoing conversation about what Neanderthal burial actually involved.

For Shanidar Z specifically, the team has focused heavily on the flower pollen question and on the physical evidence of the body position.

The ochre question is part of the broader Neanderthal cognitive debate rather than a specific finding from this burial.