Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1915-09-24

III hundred pale0lithtc stations, that H.
III places where remains Of one kind
or another have been left behind
by early man. This man was prI.
It'll marily hunter and his chief center
Of activity appears to have been
what IL now southwestern France and northeast
ern Spain. although Germany, Austria Italy. Bel
gium. England, and to q lesser degree other coun-
tries came within his range. This apparent dis
trfbutioR 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 are sheltered In some way.
The shelter may consist merely Of an overhang.
ing clih. It may be . grotto yawning on the noun
tain side a.. 1t may be the far interior of a cave
This latter type Of site 1t is relatively easy to nd
~ making deliberate search while the location
OF IN ancient camp or workshop in the open coun-
Try u the result only Of chance II IL conceivable
OF course that these roaming. migratory hunters
returned seasonaly to the natural shelters but on
the other hand. It 10 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 shetering cli 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 un.
discovered. In consequence Of which our notion
Of the actual strength of the population at any
given place during these early millenniums of
inadequate.
A. need hardly be stated the presence of
natural habitations depends ordinarily on q 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 ~ Kentucky and adjacent common
Wealths. Shelters are notable features of steep-
walled valleys or box-canyons and our own cliR.
dweuer region affords the best example of them
ana their utilization. In Europe the most famous
cave groups are located in the lower French
Pyrenees and their Cantabrian extension In north.
efn Spain. while the equally famous shelter reGion
includes short sections Of the vezere and Beune
valleys at Les Eysies. In the French department
OF Dordogne Both regions are wonderfully pic
turesque and impressive and barring some alter.
atious In the nora they have not changed much
IN general appearance since the arrival of paleo-
htnic man. These caves and shelters are ali In
limestone formations and are the results chiefly
OF mechanical erosion Some Of the caves, espe-
ciaily those Of the lower attitudes are still in
process Of making. while others, well up on the
mountain stdes are very ancient-in fact were in
their old age when man first entered them.
Roughly speaking. the shelters proper that is
tho overhanging cliffs and the wide open grottoes
were the homes Of paleolithic man and therefore
naturally furnish NJ with important data concern.
ing ms physical makeup. his practical ability.
ana tne general nature Of his everyday life The
caves. on the other hand. served him mainly A
galleries for remarkable series Of paintings. en-
cravings and carvings. which in q measure reveal
70 N his mental attitude toward life The caves
II must be understood were exceedingly dark and
damp ordinarily unit for habitation. EXCEPT DOS
sibly - temporary retreat during the hard win
ters. and contrariwise. the shelter walls. having
been exposed for thousands of years to the wealth.
ef1ng elements. could not have preserved for us
eatner paintings or delicate engravings that NAV
nave been made upon them. There are several
somewhat Qualifying exceptions to these sweeping
statements however. For instance. the Gargas
cavern. near Montre1eau. France, and likewise the
Ahamira cave near Santander SPAIN appear to
nave been occupied for protracted periods. al
tnousn IN both cases only very close to the en-.
trance. On the other hand. some Of the shelters
'such rs Cap Blanc. near Les Eyzies France
have preserved. mainly through accident. n fne
series OF high relief sculptures But as a general
thing the camp sites in large halfopeu sbe,.
ters usually facing the sun, while the entrances
70 the painted caves face in any direction and
TOR the most part very small and inconspicu
GUS At Castillo only there is the perfect comb.
nation-a large. sunny grotto which was occup,ed
PERIODICALLY throughout most of paleolithic times
and which served besides a. the vestibuae to
considerable cave. famous for its mural art
An examination Of the various Dordogne shell
teri. coupled with q study of the changing tvnes
fouAd In them, II most instructive Nearly ali M
ne stations here are at the base of the high
Guns tnat hedge the narrow valleys on one or
18th sides: but In q few instances the relic-he.r
ne debris lies on an eroded ledge some distance
!? ne hce OF the uotecting wall. Almost within