PALEOLITHIC ART IN THE AMERICAN MUSEUM 



233 



epoch of the evolution of the bladeUke 

 flint flake, with its diversity of marginal 

 retouches. In the lower levels the 

 blades are large and thick with marginal 

 notchings. Large, rude carenate scrap- 

 ers appear, likewise the lateral type of 

 graver, and the so-called pointe de 

 Chdtelperron. Bone industry develops, 

 the bone point with or without cleft 

 base being the best known [page 226]. 

 Sculpture is developed to a considerable 

 extent, the female figurines from Bras- 

 sempouy being examples. In the middle 

 horizons the carenate scrapers multiply, 

 diversify and become less bulky [page 

 225]; the scars left by the lamellar chip- 

 ping are long and parallel. Gravers of 

 many types are numerous [page 227]. 



The upper Aurignacian is charac- 

 terized by the pointe de la 

 Gravette [page 228], the ordi- 

 nary graver [page 229], and 

 a microlithic industry in 

 which use is made of the 

 splinters produced in the 

 manufacture of gravers. 

 Pedunculate points fore- 

 shadowing the arrow head 

 are also met with. The 

 human figurines from Grim- 

 aldi and \Yillendorf and the 

 bas-reliefs from Laussel be- 

 long to this stage. 



The American Museum 

 possesses a series of records 

 kept by Aurignacian hunt- 

 ers, the so-called marques 

 de chasse. Bone was gen- 

 erally used for this purpose 

 [page 230]. The collection 

 also bears evidence to the 

 love of ornament so typical 

 of the Aurignacians' in the 

 perforated teeth of the 

 cave bear, cave lion and rein- 

 deer [page 231] as well as in 

 perforated shells [page 232]. 



One curious fragment of limestone in 

 the collection is perforated, for what 

 purpose it would be difficult to say [page 

 233]. The hole is pierced near the margin 

 and was driven in at an angle from both 

 sides to a meeting point. The Ijlock 

 which is heavy might well have served 

 as a weight. Or if the hole was made 

 before the block became detached from 

 the overhanging rock it must be con- 

 sidered as a point of suspension. Didon 

 found a number of such perforated 

 blocks of stone. 



The principal piece in the New York 

 collection is an engraved figure of a 

 horse on a limestone slab, that was 

 found in a deposit of upper Aurignacian 

 age at rock-shelter No. 2 des Roches-de- 

 Sergeac [page 236]. This figure, about 



Large fragment of limestone from Abri Blanchard (Dordogne) . 

 The artificial perforation is driven in at an angle from both sides 

 to a meeting point, and the purpose is difficult to guess. The 

 stone is heavy enough to have served as a weight 



