The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1915-09-03

II or another have been left behind
IL by early This man was pr
I'LL mary hunter and his chief center
- of activity appears 10 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
trfbution may be deceptive, however. Many of
the stations are out in the Open for example
on 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 overhang
ing clin, it may be a grotto yawning on the noun
tain side and it may be the far interior of a
This latter type of site it is relatively easy to find
by making a 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 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 dd-and unless these huts stood
in very close proximity some shetering cliff, all
traces of the spot and its relics would be lost
Hence, we may properly take for granted that
hundreds of archaeological stations will remain I'M
discovered. in consequence of which notion
of the actual strength of the population at any
given place during these early mienniums of
human existence must continue imperfect, II not
inadequate
AS need hardly be stated the presence of
natural habitations depends ordinarily on a high
relief less mountainous topography.
Caves most abundant in volcanic regions
in the western United States. in limestone
such Kentucky and adjacent common
weaths. Shelters are notable features of steep
walled valleys box canyons and cliff
dweer region affords the best example of them
and their utilization. In Europe the most famous
cave groups located in the lower French
Pyrenees and their Cantabran 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 alter
atoms in the fora they have not changed much
in general appearance since the arrival of paieo-
lthic These and shelters all in
limestone formations and are the results chiefly
of mechanical erosion. Some of the caves. espe-
cially 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 frr. 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.
cravings and carvings. which in a measure reveal
to us his mental attitude toward life The caves.
1t must be understood, were exceedingly dark and
damp ordinarily UNIT for habitation. except pos
sibly temporary retreat during the hard 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 delicate engravings that may
have been made upon them. There 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 only very close to the
trance On the other hand. some of the shelters
such as Cap Blanc. near Les Eyzies, France,
have preserved. mainly through accident, q fine
series of high relief sculptures But general
thing the camp sites are in large halfopen shell
ters usually facing the sun. while the entrances
to the painted face in any direction and
for the most part very small and inconspicu-
GUS 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 vestibue to
considerable cave, famous for its mural art.
An examination of the various Dordogne shell
ters 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 reltc-bear
ing debris lies on an eroded ledge some distance
10 the face Of the protecting wall. Almost within