PREHISTORIC ART. 



401 



the tail displaced; not in its proper position, as was the original when I 

 saw it. Fig. 09 represents a fragment, important in its lesson on paleo- 

 lithic art. It is a female figure sculptured in ivory. It is without 

 head or arms and almost without feet. The breast is flat, the sexual 

 organs exaggerated, and the hips prominent. It was found at Laugerie 

 Basse and belongs to the collection of Marquis de Vibraye. 



Fig. 60. 

 (a) FRAGMENT OF HARPOON OF REINDEER HORN ENGRAVED WITH TWO HUMAN HANDS, ONE ON EACH SIDE. 



La Madelaine, Dordogiie. 



Lartet and Christy. British Museum. ^^ natural size. 

 (b) HUMAN HAND ENGRAVED ON A FRAGMENT OF HARPOON OR REINDEER HORN. 



La Madelaine, Dordogne. 



Lartet and Christy. 



Judge Piette's persistence and success as an explorer into the pre- 

 historic; stations of the Paleolithic period in France have already been 

 mentioned. One of his most extensive and successful explorations was 

 ill the cavern of Brasseinpouy at Chalosse (Landes). The usual strati- 

 fication of occupation was found, beginning with the early Paleolithic 

 at the bottom and progressing successively through the later epochs 

 toward the top. The mammoth and rhinoceros, cave bear, cave hyena, 

 and reindeer were found in their respective strata. Ivory was sufli- 

 ciently plentiful to be dug out by the spade full. Worked 

 points of bone and horn, flint points, scrapers, and flakes, 

 and similar evidence of human occupation abounded. 

 Engravings on bone and horn were found as in other 

 paleolithic caverns in the district. In stratum E, about 

 18 inches in thickness and at a depth of 11 to 1 -J feet, 

 specimens of the human form were found sculptured in 

 the round from ivory. The collection of Judge Piette 

 contains nine statuettes of the human female figure in 

 ivory, seven from Brassempouy, one from Mas d'Azil, 

 and one from Laugerie Basse. They were divided into two groups. One 

 represented women, fleshy, gross, with breasts pendant, abdomen round 

 and protuberent, and thighs firm and heavy. One of these Judge Piette 

 has named the Venus of Brassempou3^ The second group were the 

 reverse of all this, with figures thin and straight, without protuberances, 

 and slight representation of flesh or muscle, having much the same 

 appearance as fig. 69. One of the latter group, more complete than 

 any other, represented a female head covered with a capuchin bonnet. 

 NAT MUS 90 20 



V f 



Fig. 61. 

 HUMAN HEAD. 



Laugerie Baase. 



Masseuat. 



