394 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1896. 



Fig. 42. 



IBEX OK WILD GOAT, ENGRAVED ON REINDEER'S BROW ANTLER 

 PALM. 



Laugerie. 



Lartet and Christy. Cast, Cat. N.>. HU'i, U.S.N. M. J^ natural size. 



whicli lie occupied of western and southern France. This was found 



thirty years before anyone had an idea of even the existence of pre- 

 historic man — certainly 

 that long before it was 

 suggested that prehis- 

 toric man made or used 

 such objects or orna- 

 ments. It was deposited 

 in the principal museum 

 of Paris — still before the 

 discovery of prehistoric 

 man — where it has re- 

 mained practically until 

 the present time without 

 suspicion of its relation 

 to, or use by, him. It 

 would have remained 

 there unknown but for 

 the fortunate discovery 

 of M. Mortillet. 



Ibex. — Fig. 42 is the 



palm of a reindeer's brow antler, found by M. Lartet at Laugerie Basse. 



It bears the nearly entire engraved outline of a 



horned animal. The horns point upward with a 



slight backward curve; a short distance behind 



the horns is an indication of ears; below the chin is 



a tuft of hair or beard. The croup, tail, and fore 



feet are destroyed by fractures. The hind legs are 



sadly distorted in whatever position the animal 



may be represented; even if he was engaged in 



scratching himself with his feet, it was impossible 



that he should scratch his belly with both hind feet 



at once. But all the characteristics mentioned 



point to the possibility of an ibex or similar animal. 



Fig. 43 represents another engraving, also suj^posed 



to be of the ibex or goat family, made on a frag- 

 ment of a reindeer's brow antler palm. Figs. 44, 45, 



and 46 are engravings of animals of the goat or ante- 

 lope tribe. Fig. 45 represents the head of a large 



saiga (antelope). It was engraved on bone and 



was found by Judge Piette in the Grotto of Gour- 



don(Haute (laronue). This animal has been extinct 



in that locality throughout historic times. Fig. 46 



represents an ibex engraved on reindeer horn. It 



was found at Laugerie Basse and is in the collection 



M. Massenat at Brives. This animal has migrated to the high altitudes. 

 Flowers^ leaves^ etc. — Designs imitating flowers, leaves, and branches 



Fig. 43. 



IBEX OR GOAT, ENGRAVED 

 ON FRAGMENT OF REIN- 

 DEER'S BROW ANTLER 

 PALM. 



Dordoguo. 



Cast, Cat. No. 136641, U.S.N.M. 

 J-n natural size. 



