Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1914-01-30
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present level Of that river
between Poncn and Neuvle-sur-Ain. AS long
ago as 1875 scientist, Mr. Moyret, called atten-
ton to it as having been inhabited in prehistoric
times. Ever since numerous investigators have
visited it. They conducted their investigations
30 assiduously that the level of the cave formed
during the Neolithic age-comparatively recent,
In the eyes of geoogists and anthropoogists-
was dug away, also the contiguous level Of the
earlier Magdalenian age. This lowered the level
OF the cave by rs centimeters and brought to light
rich fields of Neolithic and Magdalenian relics
But the richest fiud of all was yet to come. Be-
ginning last May the latest investigators began to
dig deeper into the soil forming the floor of the
cave, and after they had penetrated about
meter further down they found stratum of fine
gravel, showing unmstakable signs of dating
from the still earlier Aurignacian age. This
proved to be veritable treasure troye
In it were uncovered the studio" of prehs-
toric artist, containing number of different sorts
of engravers tools, pieces of mammoth, rhinoc-
eros, and randeer bones, pieces of stone ready for
engraving, and stones and bones with engravings
already cut into them.
One of the latter represents horse of re-
markably finished type; another shows a bison,
still another wild sheep. But the prize of the
whole collection, the prize which, it is confidently
expected will make this epoch-making find
IN the annals of anthropology, is the piece of
mammoths bone which is cut the figure of
human being This, in the words of those who
have unearthed it, sis the first document repre-
sentng, in engraved form, the man of the Middle
Quaternary age, the minimum age Of which Is
$4,000 years."
AS those who delve into the remote history of
aware picturings of himself by pre-
historic extremely He delighted
In drawing and carving the strange beasts which
he saw about him-bisons, reindeer, mammoth,
horses and the like-but when it to giving
us an idea of what he looked like himself he was
strangely coy.
Of n he
form of drawings engravings. Rude carvings
of human beings, dating far beyond the dawn of
history, have been dug up-at Viendorf, in Aus
tria; at Brassempouy, the Laussel cave, and the
grottoes Of Grimald in France and other places.
Owing to this paucity of first-hand information,
reconstructions of prehistoric man from the vari-
skulls and bones found at different times
have been largely a matter of conjecture. 1t has
been case of every one guessing for himself,
legion. One group of savants, endeavorng to
build up remote ancestor from the famous
relics found In the Neanderthal, near Dusseldorf,
Germany; at Spy, in Belgium, and at La Chapee-
aux-Saints, in France, have shown something
materially strengthening the Darwinian theory
that man is descended from the ape. Another
group, basing its deductions the man" recon
structed from the Piltdown skull, has endeavor-
ed to prove that prehistoric man. from whom we
descended, never became so bestial as the
possessors of the NeanderthaLSpyLa Chappele-
aux-Saints skulls, and that the latter belonged to
u VI tne race WHICH BTduudliy ueSeuerdC
ed until 1t finally became extinct, while the other
and superior branch kept on improving until man
as we know him was gradually evolved.
This latter theory, it is expected by the dis
coverers Of the prehistoric studio" in the cave
of La Colombiere, will be greatly bolstered up
by what they have brought to light. To begin
with. the best known depictions of human beings
of similar sort-notably the sculptured forms of
women found at Azl and elsewhere in France,
as well as the sketches of the human face un-
earthed in the cave of Marsoulas-were produced
In the Magdalenian age according to the theory
generally accepted by Frenchmen, and, therefore
are supposed to be much more recent than any
thing dating from the Aurignacan age
Granting, then, that the pictures in the cave of
La Colombiere really date from the Aurignaclan
age--and the report read by NJ. Douville shows
pretty conclusively that they do--and that those
similar to them discovered up to now are of a
more recent date, the character Of the work done
by the cave artist OF La Colombere is such as i'm
mediGtely TO rivet the closest attention on 1t.
For tie "iuan" here shown. tho man OF tho