2 RELIQUIAE AQUITANKLE. 



R BONE IMPLEMENTS, &c. 



B. PLATE XIX. & XX. (Double.) 



This double Plate comprises careful figures of some of tbe choicest specimens 

 of prehistoric art, and the most valuable (as indicative of primaeval taste and habits) 

 that the Caves of Aquitaine have yielded. They are all from the rock-shelter of 

 Laugerie Basse. The carvings of Horse and Reindeer, the sketches of Ibex and 

 two Bovine forms, both broadly and specially indicate the habits and surroundings 

 of the Cave-folk ; whilst the adaptation of the well-cut figures to the conditions of 

 the material, and even to the shape of a handle, bespeaks high intelligence, thought, 

 and talent. 



These specimens have already been treated of by Messrs. Lartet and Christy, 

 and partially illustrated, in their Memoirs, (1) " On engraved and carved Objects 

 of Prehistoric Date in Western Europe"* ('Revue Archeologique,' nouvelle serie, 

 5 e Annee, Avril 1864), and (2) " New observations on the Existence of Man in 

 Central France at a time when the country was inhabited by the Reindeer and 

 other animals not living there now"t ('Compt. Rendus de 1'Acad. des Sciences,' 

 vol. Iviii. pp. 401 &c., and ' Annales des Sciences Naturelles,' 5 m ' srie, Zoologie, 

 vol. i. pp. 232 &c., 1864). 



Fig. 1. This is a long, slightly curved Harpoon-head (?), carved out of Antler, 

 broken at one end, and furnished with a lancet-shaped point (imperfect) and a 

 single barb at the other. Below the barb the stem is carved, in low relief, so 

 as to represent a Horse's head ; the face (2 inches long), on the same edge witli 

 the barb, is surmounted with a pair of rather long, pointed, parallel ears (f inch 

 long), towards the barb ; and the eyes, nostrils, lips, and hairy jowl are given 

 on either side of the stem. Beyond the Horse's face, on one side of the stem, 

 is an elongated figure of a Deer, in low relief, imperfectly carved, the hind 

 quarters not being defined. The head and neck are carefully executed; the 

 left fore leg roughly indicated: the left-hand Antler (apparently that of a 



* " Cavernes du Perigord : Objets graves et sculptes des temps prehistoriques dans 1'Europe occidentale." 

 t " Note sur de nouvelles observations relatives a 1'existence de 1'homme dans le centre de la France a une 

 ou cette contree etait habitee par le renne et d'autres animaux qui n'y vivent pas de nos jours." 



