THE ENGRAVED PICTL^IES OF THE GROTTO OF LA 

 MOUTHE, L)ORDO(^NE, FRANCE.^ 



By M. Emile Rivieur. 



INTRODUCTION, BY O. T. MASON. 



The grotto of La Mouthe is in the commune of Tayac, Dordog-ne, 

 France. This remarkable valle}^ has 3Melded some of the most won- 

 derful results in the history of paleolithic and neolithic man in France. 

 The valley of the Vezere has been especially fruitful, the following- 

 well-known sites occurring there: Gorge-d'Enfer, discovered by 

 La rtet and Christy; Cro-Magnon, explored by Massenat; les Evzies; 

 La Mouthe, explored b}- Riviere; and Laugerie-Haute. 



In these caverns are foimd remains and human workmanship belong- 

 ing to the Mousterian, Solutrean, and Magdalenian epochs. These 

 three epochs form the close of the Paleolithic period in Europe and 

 lead to the polished-stone people, especiall}^ of the Swiss Lake Dwell- 

 ings. The following tabulated form, copied from De Mortil let's Le 

 Prehistorique, will show the exact position which the discoveries 

 made b}' Riviere in the cave of La Mouthe occupied in the series of 

 epochs covering the entire histoiy of France: 



Table of classification. 



"Translated from '^Bullclins el Mhnoires ih- la Socit'le d' Aniliropolijt/li' <le Paria.'" 8('r. 

 "), Tome 2, p. 509, 1901. 



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