The Raymer enterprise., 1915-09-02
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(.-so HERE are recorded at the preseni
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h.WAli time for the southern twothirds Of
III n Europe. including Mediterranean
IL n Asia and Africa, less than -four
II hundred paieoithic stations. that is,
Is "a places where remains OF one kind
II or another have been left behind
by early man This was pri
It'll mary hunter and his chief center
- OF activity appears 10 have been
what is now southwestern France and northeast
Spain although Germany Austria, Italy, Bel
GUM. England and TO a lesser degree other coun
tries. came within hts range, This apparent dis
tribution may be- deceptive. however. Many OF
the stations out in the open, as for example
on the valley terraces OF the Thames and the
Sommc but the majority Of the sites. especially
those OF later times are sheltered in some way
The shelter may consist merely of an nyerhang
Ing elf, 1t may be grotto yawning on the noun
tain side and il may be the far interior Of a cave
This latter type Of site IL is relatively easy to find
hy making a deliberate search while the location
ot hn ancient camp or workshop In the open cOun-
try Is the result only OF chance. II is conceivable
oi course that these roaming, migratory hunters
returned seasonally to the natural shelters but on
the other hand. It Is possible that many OF them
built hnts-some OF the geometre cave paintings
suggest that they dd-and unless these huts stood
In very close proximity TO some sheltering cliff all
traces Of the spot aud its relics would he lost
Hence, We may properly take for granted that
hundreds Of archaeological stations will remain un.
discovered in consequence of which our notion
of the actual strength OF the population at any
given place during these early millenniums OF
human existence must continue imperfect II not
inadequate
A. torJi bT 49,
natural habatons depends ordinarily on a high
relief or 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
weaths. Shelters are 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 Eyzes in the French department
OF Dordogne Both regions are wonderfully pic.
tnresque and impressive and barring soma alter
atons IN the fora they have not changed much
in general appearance since the arrival Of paleo.
lthic man. These caves and shelters are all in
limestone formations and are the results chiefly
clally those of the lower attitudes. are still in
process Of making while others well up on the
mountain sides, are very ancient-in fact were in
their old age when man first entered them.
Roughly speaking. the shelters proper. that ls
the oyerhangIng cliffs and the wide open grottoes
were the homes OF pneolithc man and therefore
naturally furnish us with important data concern
Ing his physical makeup. his practical ability
nd h9 Of IT,.
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. we're exceedingly dark and
damp ordinarily unfit for habitaton except pos
sibly temporary retreat during the hard win.
tiers, and contrarwise, 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 engrayIngs that may
have been made upon them. There are several
somewhat qualifying exceptions to these sweeping
statements however. For instance. the Gargas
cavern, near MontreIeau. 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 as Cap Blanc near Les Eyzies. France
have preserved, mainly through accident a fine
series Of high relief sculptures But as a general
thing the camp sites are In large halfopen shell.
ters 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.
Gus AT Castillo only there is the perfect combl.
naton-a large, sunny grotto which was occupied
periodically throughout most OF paleolithic times
and which served besides as the vestibule to a
considerable cave, famous for its mural art
Al examination of the various Dordngne shel.
ters, 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 relic-bear-
iug debris lies on an eroded ledge some distance
up the face Of the protecting wall Almost within