By using our site, you agree to our collection of information through the use of cookies. To learn more, view our Privacy Policy. To browse Academia. Translated from the French by Norbert Guterman. Conservation and Management of Archaeological β¦, And quite literally, descended.
The cave of Isturitz is one of the most important archaeological sites of the prehistory of Western Europe. Human occupations followed each other in the cavity from at least the Middle Paleolithic to the Roman age.
In , Passermard started archaeological excavations there, and a calcite pillar was discovered next to the original entrance that was sculpted with a dozen of animal representations. In this excavation, the Magdalenian levels yielded a considerable quantity of portable art objects. In the last few years, several workers have resumed the study of those pieces.
Since , we have created a research team for the study of the parietal figures of the cave, as well as other elements, for example the objects embedded in the walls. We present here our first results, which improve in the understanding of the artistic activities of Upper Palaeolithic peoples by shedding light at the art analyzed in Isturitz. This text presents a synthesis of what is known of Palaeolithic rock art in Portugal. We observe, in Portugal, a great graphic homogeneity in pre-Magdalenian rock art and considerable differences between the southern and northern rock art during the Magdalenian.
This evolution is, nevertheless, perfectly explained when we take into account the wider Iberian context of Upper Palaeolithic rock art. A remarkable discovery in France raises anew the question of the relationship between parietal art and funerary practices. France is rich in Gravettian decorated caves, but human remains from this period 28e21 years BP are very rare.
