PREHISTORIC ART. 



373 



coutaiu tbe broken or lost objects of liis industry and specimens of his 

 art. (See Plate 1.) 



The culture of La Madelaine was similar to that of Laugerie Basse 

 (See map, Plate 5), but Laugerie Haute had a somewhat different cul- 

 ture, and this caused La Madelaine to be chosen as the representative 

 and to have given its name to the epoch. 



Laugerie Basse. — Plate 12 is a perspective view and section of the 

 rock shelter of Laugerie Basse. Many objects of prehistoric human 

 industry and art have been found in it. It was undoubtedly occupied 

 for a long period of time. The house shown was located on or over the 

 entrance to the cavern, which, however, had previously been filled with 

 fallen rocks and earth. The entrance for excavation of the cavern was 

 through the house and under its floor. The principal work of excava- 

 tion was done by M. Massenat, of Mailmont, near Brives (Correze). 

 The overhanging rock, projecting about 45 feet, af- 

 forded the shelter. This precipice of rock extended 

 with intervals for several miles up and down the river, 

 with many other occupied caverns and rock shelters, 

 which showed a dense population or long-continued 

 occupation, or both. 



l^espite the employment of horn and bone, flint con- 

 tinued to a large extent to be used for imj)lements. 

 The scraper of the Mousterien epoch had its edge on 

 the side, while in the Madelainien epoch the scraping 

 edge had changed to the end (fig. 17), and this form 

 continued into historic times. Flint flakes abounded 

 during this epoch, some large, long, and thin, with 

 sharp edges, probably used for knives (fig. 18) ; others 

 small and fine, with delicately wrought corners 

 and points (fig. 19 a, &), probably intended for drills. 



Here we leave paleolithic flint chipping, and be- 

 cause the man of this epoch turned his attention to other manifesta- 

 tions of art, we have to follow him. The subject will receive further 

 attention in the chapter on the Neolithic period. 



Engravings on Bone, Horn, and Ivory. 



This epoch is most important in the history of art, marking as it 

 does the earliest human expression of the beautiful, of art for art's 

 sake. It has been said that this expression marks the first step in evo- 

 lution from savagery. If so, this step was first taken during this epoch 

 and in this locality, for here prehistoric art of the Paleolithic period 

 made its first manifestation and attained its highest grade. 



The art of this locality was indigenous. It was not an imitation, and 

 it seems not to have been borrowed nor to have migrated. It appears 

 to have been a manifestation of the natural art tendencies of the 

 human mind.^ It consisted sometimes of sculpture done in the round; 



Fig. 19. 



FLINT POINTS OR DRILLS. 



La Madelaine (Dor- 

 dogne), France. 



Lartet and Christy. Natural 



' See Introduction, p. 302. 



