Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1915-09-03
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go HERE are recorded at the present
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E%HTN&ll time for the southern two-thirds OF
iii II Europe, including Mediterranean
IL III II Asia and Africa, no less than four
Ill @ II hundred paleolithic stations, that is,
IL IA places where remains of one kind
III "a or another have been left behind
IL - by early This man was pri-
~ marily hunter and his chief center
- of activity appears to have been
what is now southwestern France and northeast
ern 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
the valley terraces of the Thames and the
Somme; but the majority of the sites, especially
those of later times, sheltered in some way.
The shelter may consist merely of an overhang-
ing cliff, it may be gSotto 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 deliberate search while the location
of an ancient camp or workshop in the open coun-
try is the result only of chance 1t is conceivable
of course that these roaming migratory hunters
returned seasOnay to the natural shelters, but on
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 to some sheftering cliff, all
traces of the spot. and it's relics would be lost
Hence, may properly take for. granted that
hundreds of archaeological stations will remain I'M
discovered in consequence of which our notion
of the actual strength of the population at any
given place during these early miRenniums of
human existence must continue imperfect, if not
inadequate.
AS need hardly be stated the presence of
natural habitations depends ordinarily on a high
relief more or less mountainous topography
Caves most abundant in volcanic regions as
in the western United States, in limestone
areas such as Kentucky and adjacent common
wealths. Shelters notable features of steep
walled valleys or box-canyons and our own cliff
dweller region affords the best 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
ations in the flora they have not changed much
in general appearance since the arrival of paleo
lthic man. These caves and shelters all in
limestone formations and are the results chiefly
of mechanical erosion. Some of the caves, espe
cia1ly those of the lower attitudes, are still in
process of making, while others, well up the
mountain sides, are very ancient-in fact, were in
their old age when 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 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,
it must be understood, were exceedingly dark and
damp ordinarily unfit for habitation except pos
cjhI TOM fha h9rd win.
tiers, and cOntrariwise, the shelter walls, having
been exposed for thousands of years to the wealth
ering elements, could not have preserved for
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, 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, of the shelters
such as Cap Blanc, near Les Eyzies France
have preserved, mainly through accident, fine
series of high relief sculptures. But general
thing the camp sites are in large half-open shell
tiers, usually facing the sun, while the entrances
to the painted caves face in any direction, and
for the most part are very small and inconspicu-
ous At Castillo only there is the perfect combi
nation-a large sunny grotto, which was occupied
periodically throughout most of paleOlithic times
and which served besides as the vestibule to
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 are at the base of the high
cliffs that hedge the narrow valleys on one or
both sides; but in few instances the reic-bear-
ing debris lies on an eroded ledge some distance
np the face of the protecting wall. Almost within