426 
TROGLODYTES OF THE VEZERE* 
IV. 
Iv .—Arts among the Troglodytes 
9 HE men of the reindeer age cultivated drawing, chisel- 
ling, and even sculpture. We must admit that they 
had, like ourselves, many inferior artists ; but among a 
large number of coarse attempts, such ‘as our “street 
Fic. 23.— Sculptured pointed handle, representing an elongated reindeer. 
arabs” chalk on the walls, there are some really remarkable 
ones, which denote at the same time a clever hand and 
an eye practised in the observation of nature. 
Drawing, with this people, evidently preceded sculpture. 
Tke figures in relief are much more rare among them 
than those that are carved, and likewise much less per- 
fect. The latter are common at the Eyzies and Lower 
Laugerie, but they abound more especially at the Made- 
laine, where they are also much more correct. These 
drawings are all carved. Most of them ornament the 
Fic. 26 
Fic 24. 
Bones of the old man of Cromagnon. Fig. 24 —Shin-bone. Fig. 25.— 
Fic. 25. 
Fiattened tibia. Fig. 26 —Femur: profile view. 
surface of different objects in deer horn, such as batons 
of command, handles of poignards ; but some are en- 
graved on pieces of stone, ivory, or deer horn, which 
were not intended for any other use, and which were pre- 
* Continued from p 369 
NATURE 
mee 
pared purposely to receive the work of the artist. (See 
Figs. 12 and 22.) 
Nearly all these drawings represent natural objects. 
Some, however, are merely simpie ornate lines, forming 
zigzag festoons, and more or less elegant curves. 
Fic. 27.—Skull of the woman of Cromagnon: profile. The woynd ia 
the frontal bone is shown, 
Three little roses carved on a handle in deer-horn, 
seem to represent a polypetalous flower. All the other 
drawings are representations of animals. 
The most numerous are those of the reindeer, then 
those of the horse: the ox and the aurochs are less com- 
mon, These different animals are easily distinguished ; 
their ways, their movements are sometimes reproduced 
with much elegance and accuracy ; often they are isolated, 
dispersed in apparent disorder and in numbers over the 
whole surface of an object ; then again they form groups, 
they are seen fighting together (see Fig. 22), or fleeing from _ 
.man. 
Of all these drawings, the most important and also the 
most rare, for it is at present unique, is that which repre- 
sents the mammoth, and of which I have already spoken. 
Drawings of fish are pretty common. With one excep- 
Fic. 29,—Skull of the old man of Cromagnon : profile.. 
tion, which represents an eel or a lamprey (if it is not a 
serpent), they have a shape which, though not very cha- 
racteristic, may be intended for a salmon. Y 
The Troglodytes, sometimes so clever in delineating 
animals, were very inferior artists of the “human form 
[April 3, 1873 
