The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1915-09-17


IL III places where remains of kind
IA M or another have been left behind
IL - by early This man was pri
HJ marily hunter and his chief center
- of activity appears to have been
what is now southwestern France and northeast
em Spain, although Germany, Austria, Italy, Bel
GUM, England, and to lesser degree other coun
tries, came within his range. This apparent dis
tribution may be deceptive, however. Many OF
the stations are out in the OPEN as for example
on the valley terraces of the Thames and the
Somme but the majority of the sites, especially
those of later times, are sheltered in some way
The shelter may, consist merely of an overhang
ing cliff, it may be grotto yawning on the noun
tain side and it may be the far interior Of cave
This latter type of site it is relatively easy to find
by making a deliberate search while the location
of an ancient camp workshop in the open coun
try is the result only of chance. 1t is conceivable
of course that these roaming, migratory hunters
returned seasonally to the natural Shelters but
the other hand, it is possible that many of them
built huts-some of the geometric cave paintings
suggest that they did-and unless these huts stood
in very close proximity shelterng cliff, all
traces of the spot and its relics would be lost
Hence. may properly take for granted that
hundreds of archaeological stations will remain
discovered, in consequence OF which our notion
of the actual strength of the population at any
given place during these early menniums Of
human existence must continue imperfect, if not
inadequate.
AS need hardly be stated the presence of
natural habtations depends ordinarily high
relief a more or less mountainous topography.
Caves are most abundant in volcanic regions as
in the western United States, or in limestone
areas such as Kentucky and adjacent common
wealths. Shelters are notable features of steep
walled valleys box-canyons and our own cliff
dweller region affords the hest example of them
and their utilization. In Europe the most famous
cave groups are located in the lower French
Pyrenees and their Cantabrian extension in north
ern Spain, while the equally famous shelter region
includes short sections of the Vezere and Beune
valleys at Les Eyzies. in the French department
OF Dordogne Both regions wonderfully pic
turesque and impressive, and barring some alter
atoms In the flora they have not changed much
in general appearance since the arrival of paeo-
lithic man. These caves and shelters all in
limestone formations and the results chiefly
of mechanical erosion. Some of the caves. espe-
cialy those of the lower attitudes, are still in
process of making, while others, we'll up the
mountain sides, are very ancient-in fact, were in
their old age when man first entered them.
Roughly speaking. the shelters proper, that is
the overhanging cliffs and the wide open grottoes
were the homes of paleolithic man and therefore
naturally furnish us with important data concern
ing his physical makeup, his practical ability
and the general nature OF his everyday life. The
caves, on the other hand, served him mainly as
galleries for remarkable series of paintings en-
cravings and carvings, which in measure reveal
to us his mental attitude toward life. The caves
IL must be understood were exceedingly dark and
damp, ordinarily unfit for habtation except pos
sibly as temporary retreat during the hard win
ters and contrariwise the shelter walls, having
been exposed for thousands of years to the wealth
ering elements. could not have preserved for US
either paintings or delicate engravings that may
have been made upon them. There are several
somewhat qualifying exceptions to these sweeping
statements however. For instance, the Gargas
cavern, near Montrejeau, France and likewise the
Altamira cave. near Santander, Spain, appear to
have been occupied for protracted periods, al
though in both cases only very close to the en-.
trance. On the other hand, some OF the shelters
such Cap Blanc. near Les Eyzies. France
have preserved mainly through accident fine
series of high relief sculptures But as general
thing the camp sites are in large half-op shell
ters, usually facing the sun, while the entrances
TO the painted caves face in any direction and
for the most part very small and inconspicu-
GUS. At Castillo only there is the perfect combi-
large, sunny grotto, which was occupied
periodically throughout most of paeolithic times
and which served besides as the vestibule to q
considerable cave. famous for its mural art.
An examination of the various Dordogne shell
tiers. coupled with a study of the changing types
found in them, is most instructive Nearly all OF
the stations here at the base of the high
cliffs that hedge the narrow valleys on one or
both sides; but in a few instances the relic-bear-
ing debris lies on an eroded ledge some distance
up the face of the protecting wall. Almost within