According to surveys in Europe and North America, it is the color most commonly associated with mourning, the end, secrets, magic, force, violence, evil and elegance. It became the color worn by English romantic poets, businessmen and statesmen in the 19th century, and a high fashion color in the 20th century. In the 14th century, it was worn by royalty, clergy, judges and government officials in much of Europe. In the Roman Empire, it became the color of mourning, and over the centuries it was frequently associated with death, evil, witches, and magic. It was used in ancient Egypt and Greece as the color of the underworld. īlack was one of the first colors used by artists in Neolithic cave paintings. Since the Middle Ages, black has been the symbolic color of solemnity and authority, and for this reason it is still commonly worn by judges and magistrates. Black and white have often been used to describe opposites such as good and evil, the Dark Ages versus Age of Enlightenment, and night versus day. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and gray. Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light.
