RELIQUIAE AQUITANICJE. 



i. 



AQUITANIA FEATURES OF THE DORDOGNE DISTRICT THE CAVES IN THE VALLEY 

 OF THE VEZERE AND THEIR CONTENTS INFILLING OF BONE-CAVESRELATIVE 

 CHRONOLOGY OF BONE-CAVES. 



Aquitania. In. explanation of the Latinized title of this Work, the Authors 

 have to mention that, at various periods of History, the geographical term 

 " Aquitaine" has been applied to a region of Gaul and France diiferently limited 

 at different times. 



Before the Roman Conquest of Gaul, Aquitaine comprised only the conquered 

 lands lying between the Pyrenees, the Garonne, and the Ocean. It was partly 

 subjected to the Romans by the younger Crassus, one of Caesar's lieutenants ; 

 but the Roman domination was not definitely established until after the victories 

 of Messala, who, under Augustus, repressed the revolts of the Aquitanians. 



Augustus, on the new division that he made of the Provinces of Gaul, 

 considerably enlarged Aquitania, at the expense of Celtica, and settled the 

 Cevennes and the Loire as its boundaries. The new Province, thus constituted, 

 was subdivided into the First, Second, and Third Aquitania, the last, more often 

 designated by the name " Novempopulania," comprising almost entirely the 

 territory of the original Aquitania, such as it was before the Conquest. This 

 division continued to exist until the invasion of the Barbarians- The Visigoths, 

 who located themselves in Aquitaine in 419, were dispossessed of it in 507 by 

 the French King Clovis ; and his immediate successors modified from time to 

 time its boundaries. 



In the Sixth Century the irruption and settling of the Basques, Vascons, or 

 Gascons gave the name of " Gascony " to a large portion of Novempopulania or 



B 



