Primitive Man Part 11

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 61.--Another Staff of authority in Reindeer's Horn.]

This explanation appears the correct one when we consider the care with which these batons were fashioned. If the hypothesis of their being symbols of authority be adopted, the varying number of the holes would not be without intention; it might point to some kind of hierarchy, the highest grade of which corresponded to the baton with the most holes.

Thus, in the Chinese empire, the degree of a mandarin's authority is estimated by the number of b.u.t.tons on his silk cap. And just as in the Mussulman hierarchy there were pachas of from one to three tails, so it may be fancied that among primitive man of the reindeer epoch there were chiefs of from one to three holes!

We have already stated that in the epoch of the great bear and the mammoth the art of manufacturing a rough description of pottery was, perhaps, known in Europe. The men of the reindeer epoch made, however, but little progress in this respect. Nevertheless, if certain relics really belong to this period, they may have known how to make rough vessels, formed of clay, mixed with sand, and hardened by the action of fire. This primitive art was, as yet, anything but generally adopted: for we very rarely find _debris_ of pottery in close contiguity with other remains of the reindeer epoch.

The Archaeological Museum of Saint Germain is in possession of a hollow vessel, a natural geode, very large and very thick (fig. 62). It was found in the cave of La Madelaine (department of Dordogne); on one side it has evidently been subjected to the action of fire, and may therefore be presumed to have been used as a large vessel for culinary purposes.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 62.--A Geode, used as a cooking Vessel (?), found in the Cave of La Madelaine (Perigord).]

In a cave at Furfooz, near Dinant in Belgium, to which we shall subsequently refer, M. edouard Dupont found, intermingled with human bones, an urn, or specimen of rough pottery, which is perhaps one of the most ancient monuments of the ceramic art as practised by our primitive ancestors. This urn (fig. 63) was partly broken; by the care of M.

Hauzeur it has been put together again, as we represent it from the work of M. Le Hon.[9]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 63.--Earthen Vase found in the Cave of Furfooz (Belgium).]

It is in the reindeer epoch that we find the earliest traces of any artistic feeling manifested in man.

It is a circ.u.mstance well worthy of remark, that this feeling appears to have been the peculiar attribute of the tribes which inhabited the south-west of the present France; the departments of Dordogne, Vienne, Charente, Tarn-et-Garonne, and Ariege, are, in fact, the only localities where designs and carvings representing organised beings have been discovered. The departments in the east have not furnished anything of a similar character, any more than Belgium, which has been so thoroughly explored by M. edouard Dupont, or Wurtemburg, where M. Fraas has lately described various settlements of this primitive epoch.

It is not sufficient to allege, in order to explain this singular circ.u.mstance, that the caves in the south of France belong to a later period of the reindeer epoch, and that the others go back to the earliest commencement of the same age. Apart from the fact that this a.s.sertion is in no way proved, a complete and ready answer is involved in the well verified circ.u.mstance, that even in later ages--in the polished stone, and even in the bronze epoch--no representation of an animal or plant is found to have been executed in these localities. No specimen of the kind has, in fact, been found in the _kitchen-middens_ of Denmark, or in the lacustrine settlements of the stone age, or even of the bronze age.

It must, then, be admitted that the tribes which were scattered over those portions of the European continent which now correspond to the south-west of France, possessed a special talent in the art of design.

There is, moreover, nothing unreasonable in such a supposition. An artistic feeling is not always the offspring of civilisation, it is rather a gift of nature. It may manifest its existence in the most barbarous ages, and may make its influence more deeply felt in nations which are behindhand in respect to general progress than in others which are much further advanced in civilisation.

There can be no doubt that the rudiments of engraving and sculpture of which we are about to take a view, testify to faculties of an essentially artistic character. Shapes are so well imitated, movements are so thoroughly caught, as it were, in the sudden fact of action, that it is almost always possible to recognise the object which the ancient workman desired to represent, although he had at his disposal nothing but the rudest instruments for executing his work. A splinter of flint was his sole graving-tool, a piece of reindeer horn, or a flake of slate or ivory, was the only plate on which primitive man could stamp his reproductions of animated nature.

Perhaps they drew on stone or horn with lumps of red-chalk or ochre, for both these substances have been found in the caves of primitive man.

Perhaps, too, as is the case with modern savages, the ochre and red-chalk were used besides for painting or tatooing his body. When the design was thus executed on stone or horn, it was afterwards engraved with the point of some flint instrument.

Those persons who have attentively examined the interesting gallery of the _Histoire du Travail_ in the International Exposition of 1867, must have remarked a magnificent collection of these artistic productions of primeval ages. There were no less than fifty-one specimens, which were exhibited by several collectors, and were for the most part extremely curious. In his interesting work, 'Promenades Prehistoriques a l'Exposition Universelle,' M. Gabriel de Mortillet has carefully described these objects. In endeavouring to obtain some knowledge of them, we shall take as our guide the learned curator of the Archaeological Museum of Saint-Germain.

We have, in the first place, various representations of the mammoth, which was still in existence at the commencement of the reindeer epoch.

The first (fig. 64) is an outline sketch, drawn on a slab of ivory, from the cave of La Madelaine. When MM. Lartet and Christy found it, it was broken into five pieces, which they managed to put together very accurately. The small eye and the curved tusks of the animal may be perfectly distinguished, as well as its huge trunk, and even its abundant mane, the latter proving that it is really the mammoth--that is the fossil--and not the present species of elephant.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 64.--Sketch of a Mammoth, graven on a Slab of Ivory.]

The second figure is an entire mammoth, graven on a fragment of reindeer horn, from the rock-shelters of Bruniquel, and belongs to M. Peccadeau de l'Isle. This figure forms the hilt of a poniard, the blade of which springs from the front part of the animal. It may be recognised to be the mammoth by its trunk, its wide flat feet, and especially by its erect tail, ending in a bunch of hair. In point of fact, the present species of elephant never sets up the tail, and has no bunch of hair at the end of it.

A third object brought from the pre-historic station of Laugerie-Ba.s.se (M. de Vibraye's collection) is the lower end of a staff of authority carved in the form of a mammoth's head. The prominent forehead, and the body of the animal stretching along the base of the staff, may both be very distinctly seen.

On another fragment of a staff of authority, found at Bruniquel by M. V.

Brun, the cave-lion (_Felis spelaea_) is carved with great clearness. The head, in particular, is perfectly represented.

Representations of reindeer, either carved or scratched on stone or horn, are very common; we mention the following:--

In the first place the hilt of a dagger in reindeer's horn (fig. 65) of the same type as that shaped in the form of a mammoth. This specimen is remarkable, because the artist has most skilfully adapted the shape of the animal to the purpose for which the instrument was intended. The hilt represents a reindeer, which is carved out as if lying in a very peculiar position; the hind legs are stretched along the blade, and the front legs are doubled back under the belly, so as not to hurt the hand of anyone holding the dagger; lastly, the head is thrown back, the muzzle turned upwards, and the horns flattened down so as not to interfere with the grasp.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 65.--Hilt of a Dagger, carved in the shape of a Reindeer.]

This is, at all events, nothing but a rough sketch. The same remark, however, does not apply to two ivory daggers found at Bruniquel by M.

Peccadeau de l'Isle. These objects are very artistically executed, and are the most finished specimens that have been found up to the present time. Both of them represent a reindeer with the head thrown back as in the preceding plate; but whilst in one dagger the blade springs from the hinder part of the body, in the same way as in the rough-hewn horn, in the other it proceeds from the front of the body, between the head and the forelegs. The hind legs are stretched out and meet again at the feet, thus forming a hole between them, which was probably used as a ring on which to suspend the dagger.

We must not omit to mention a slab of slate, on which is drawn in outline a reindeer fight. It was found at Laugerie-Ba.s.se by M. de Vibraye. The artist has endeavoured to portray one of those furious contests in which the male reindeer engages during the rutting season, in order to obtain possession of the females; he has executed his design in a spirited manner, marked by a certain _navete_.

There are a good many other fragments on which reindeer are either drawn or carved; we shall not dwell upon them, but add a few remarks as to several specimens on which are representations of the stag, the horse, the bison, the ibex, &c.

A representation of a stag (fig. 66) is drawn on a fragment of stag's horn found in the cave of La Madelaine by MM. Lartet and Christy. The shape of the antlers, which are very different to those of the reindeer, leave no doubt as to the ident.i.ty of the animal.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 66.--Representation of a Stag, drawn on a Stag's Horn.]

The ox and the bison are represented in various fashions. We will mention here a carved head which was found in the cave of Laugerie-Ba.s.se by M. de Vibraye. It forms the base of a staff of authority.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 67.--Representation of some large herbivorous Animal on a Fragment of Reindeer's Horn.]

We must, doubtless, cla.s.s under the same category a fragment of reindeer's horn, found at Laugerie-Ba.s.se, on which the hind-quarters of some large herbivorous animal are sketched out with a bold and practised touch (fig. 67). Various indications have led M. Lartet to think that the artist has not endeavoured to represent a horse, as was at first imagined, but a bison of rather a slender shape. Unfortunately the fragment is broken at the exact spot where the bushy mane should begin, which characterises the species of the bison sub-genus.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 68.--Arts of Drawing and Sculpture during the Reindeer Epoch.]

In the same locality another fragment of reindeer's horn was found, on which some horned animal is depicted (fig. 69), which appears to be an ibex, if we may judge by the lines under the chin which seem to indicate a beard.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 69.--Representation of an Animal, sketched on a Fragment of Reindeer's Horn.]

In the cave of Les Eyzies, in the department of Dordogne, MM. Lartet and Christy came upon two slabs of quartziferous schist, on both of which are scratched animal forms which are deficient in any special characteristics. In one (fig. 70), some have fancied they could recognise the elk; but, as the front part only of the other has been preserved, it is almost impossible to determine what mammiferous animal it is intended to represent. An indistinct trace of horns seems to indicate a herbivorous animal.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 70.--Fragment of a Slab of Schist, bearing the representation of some Animal, and found in the Cave of Les Eyzies.]

On each side of a staff of authority made of reindeer's horn, found by MM. Lartet and Christy in the cave of the Madelaine, may be noticed three horses in demi-relief, which are very easily recognisable.

On a carved bone, found at Bruniquel by M. de Lastic, the head of a reindeer and that of a horse are drawn in outline side by side; the characteristics of both animals are well maintained.

Lastly, we may name a round shaft formed of reindeer's horn (fig. 71), found at Laugerie-Ba.s.se by MM. Lartet and Christy, on which is carved an animal's head, with ears of a considerable length laid back upon the head. It is not easy to determine for what purpose this shaft was intended; one end being pointed and provided with a lateral hook. It was perhaps used as a harpoon.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 71.--A kind of Harpoon of Reindeer's Horn, carved in the shape of an Animal's Head.]

Representations of birds are more uncommon than those of mammals.

There are, on the other hand, a good many rough delineations of fish, princ.i.p.ally on the so-called wands of authority, on which numbers may often be noticed following one another in a series. We have one delineation of a fish, skilfully drawn on a fragment of the lower jaw-bone of a reindeer, which was found at Laugerie-Ba.s.se.

Also in the cave of La Vache (Ariege), M. Garrigou found a fragment of bone, on which there is a clever design of a fish.

Very few representations of reptiles have come to light, and those found are in general badly executed. We must, however, make an exception in favour of the figure of a tadpole, scratched out on an arrow-head, found in the cave of the Madelaine.

Designs representing flowers are very rare; in the _Galerie du Travail_, at the Exposition, only three specimens are exhibited; they came from La Madelaine and Laugerie-Ba.s.se, and were all three graven on spear-heads.

But did the men of the reindeer epoch make no attempts to portray their own personal appearance? Have not the excavations dug in the settlements of primitive man, found in Perigord, ever brought to light any imitation of the human form? Nothing could exceed the interest of such a discovery. Research has not been entirely fruitless in this respect, and it is hoped that the first attempt in the art of statuary of this primitive people may yet be discovered. In the cave of Laugerie-Ba.s.se, M. de Vibraye found a little ivory statuette, which he takes to be a kind of idol of an indecent character. The head and legs, as well as the arms, are broken off.

Another human figure (fig. 72), which, like the preceding one, is long and lean, is graven on a staff of authority, a fragment of which was found in the cave of La Madelaine by MM. Lartet and Christy. The man is represented standing between two horses' heads, and by the side of a long serpent or fish, having the appearance of an eel. On the reverse side of the same baton, which is not given in the figure, the heads of two bisons are represented.