REPORT ON ARCHEOLOGICAL RESEARCH IN THE 

 FOOTHILLS OF THE PYRENEES 



By J. TowNSEND Russell, 

 Collaborator in Old World Archeology, U. S. National Museum 



(With Eight Plates) 



During July and August, 1931, the Smithsonian Institution and 

 the University of Toulouse carried on cooperative research in pre- 

 history in the departments of the Ariege and Haute Garonne, France. 

 The writer, on the staff of the United States National Museum, was 

 Field Director and the Smithsonian representative, while Count Henri 

 Begouen, Professor of Prehistory at the University of Toulouse, 

 represented the University. The results of this cooperation were so 

 satisfactory that an agreement has been signed between the two in- 

 stitutions which continues the work during a period of 10 years. 



MARSOULAS 



The cave of Marsoulas, situated on the southern side of an abrupt 

 hill on the right bank of a little stream known as the Louin, in the 

 Commune of Marsoulas, Haute Garonne, was chosen as the first site 

 for excavation. 



The cave, having its opening due west, was formed by the action 

 of water along a fault in limestone containing algae and foraminifera, 

 belonging to the Thanetian or base of the Nummulithic series of the 

 " Petites Pyrenees."^ Its present opening is 10 meters behind the 

 original emplacement, and the terrace, previous to this year's work, 

 was buried deep under humus and rock falls from the former roof 

 and the hill above. The gallery runs almost due southwest-northeast 

 into the hill to nearly 60 meters depth. At about 40 meters it dips 

 sharply down for some 5 meters to a spring, beyond which it is 

 blocked by clay infiltration. The spring, flowing under the gallery, 

 issues from the hill below the entrance and liecomes part of the Louin. 



Earlier excavation, in 1885-86, had brought to light two levels of 

 Magdalenian and one of Aurignacian age." Of its yield, only a few 



^ The Smithsonian Institution wishes to express its thanks to Monsieur 

 Mengaud, Professor of Geology at the University of Toulouse, who visited 

 Marsoulas while excavation was in progress and gave the above determination. 



^ Abbe Cau-Durban, La Grotte de Marsoulas. Impremerie et Librairie Abadie, 

 St. Gaudens, 1887. Cau-Durban erroneously calls the Aurignacian level Solutrean. 



Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, Vol. 87, No. 11 



