South African Archaeological Society

New Discoveries of Prehistoric Art in FranceSource: The South African Archaeological Bulletin, Vol. 2, No. 5 (Mar., 1947), p. 14Published by: South African Archaeological SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3887575 .

Accessed: 28/06/2014 15:28

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

.

South African Archaeological Society is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access toThe South African Archaeological Bulletin.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 91.220.202.155 on Sat, 28 Jun 2014 15:28:48 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

14

to be undertaken, and the distances to be covered with carefully balanced scientific instruments that need care and protection, make such a project an expensive undertaking. Seven vehicles have been lent by General Motors and some fifty thousand American gallons of petrol and oil have been presented by the Shell Oil Company, through General Doolittle. The General Electric Company of America is supplying certain apparatus, including a wire-recorder and a disc-recorder, with which it is hoped that a very exact recording of native songs and music can be obtained from various parts of Southern and Central Africa.

There has been a considerable response in South Africa to the appeal of Mr. Wendell Phillips, and while it is somewhat early to announce supporters who will co-operate actively with the project here, over a dozen well-known names have been mentioned, both from Universities and from Government Departments interested in the various aspects of the expedition's work.

It is to be hoped that this Society will find itself in a position to co-operate actively in certain aspects of the work to be undertaken, and that in exchange for such co-operation, we may perhaps be permitted to publish reports on the under- taking, of a type likely to appeal primarily to our members.

New Discoveries of Prehistoric Art in France.

During the war a new series of paint- ings was discovered in the Lascaux Caves in the valley of the River Vezere, which has already yielded so many pre- historic sites. A large pine tree blew down, and some French lads discovered under its roots the entrance to a hitherto unknown cave. They explored the cave, and found numbers of paintings, many of them of considerable size. These lads already knew the scientific value of such a find, as the whole of the Vezere valley is dotted with caves and prehistoric deposits.

The paintings were recognised as of palaeolithic age; but what is more interesting, is that while many styles are represented elsewhere, most of the styles in the new site are different from any so far discovered. Thus we have a greatly increased knowledge of French palaeolithic art phases from the early Aurignacian period and perhaps into later cultural periods. The earlier

stages in the evolution of prehistoric art in France are thus likely to be a good deal clearer in the light of the Lascaux finds.

Many of the figures are of considerable size, including wild cattle, wild horses, stags, bison, prehistoric types of rhino- ceros and so on. Some of the conven- tions used (the tongue hanging out, and the way horns are shown) seem to sug- gest a link with Eastern Spanish art. This is most important, as the age of the paintings in Eastern Spain has been in some dispute. If this link can be strongly forged, then we have every reason to accept the Spanish series as of early age. In reporting this find Nature (January 18th, 1947) ends with the remark, "Altamira is the site where the finest Magdalenian paintings have been preserved. Lascaux can claim the same title in respect to the earlier Aurignacian Art". The full publication of this site will be awaited with interest.

This content downloaded from 91.220.202.155 on Sat, 28 Jun 2014 15:28:48 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions