STONE AGE CAVES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19201, 18 June 1924, Page 8

STONE AGE CAVES.

Last night, in the Museum. lecture room, Miss Dora De Beer, uuUer the auspices ol the Aiclueological Branch of the Ulugo Institute, delivered a lecture on "Some Stone Age Caves of France and Spain.” During the course of the lecture some excellent lantern elides were exhibited.

Mr H, D. Skinner presided, and suitably introduced Miss De Beer. He also gave a brief description of the people who inhabited tlie stone age caves in France and Spain., Miss De Beer said that she went to Spam on May 1, 1922, and had many interesting experiences in that country. On one occasion she hud a little encounter with the Spanish police, and was accused of being implicated in a bank robbery, but eventually sbe was able to satisfy her accusers of her innocence. The Spanish caves were situated in the north of that country, near Santandra, which ifi the centre from • which they are visited. The paintings in the caves of AJtaraira were discovered in 1879, but up to 1895 their authenticity was disputed. The lecturer allowed some excellent slides of these. Later, said Miss De Beer, she went to a little village named Puente Viesgo, from which village she visited the cave of Castillo. Puente Viesgo is a famous watering-place, and was so during the time «f the Eomans. The paintings in this cave are very interesting. Here there is seen a frieze of a mutilated hand, as well as some well-executed animal paintings. There were two other caves in the vicinity of this village, but one is considered to be very dangerous. The entrance was far from good, and those wishing to enter had to crawl on their hands and knees. In these caves the pictures were not coloured, merely engravings Miss De Beer then described tier visit to France, the first place visited being Les Eyzies, which is situated not far from Bordeaux. Here the caves were much easier of access than those of Spain. Experienced guides, too, were at one's disposal, although the caves, being teas complicated than those of Spain, guides could frequently be dispensed with. At the caves of Lea Eyzies there were some wonderful engravings of animals, especially reindeer. Here, too, one saw pictures of fish, which is very unusual in pre-historic art. Many of these pictures were engraved on tiic ceilings of the caves. In this cave there is also somS very finely sculptured horses, which would compare favourably with some of the sculpture of modern times. Miss De Beer said she felt it was only right to mention the many kindnesses shown her at the place by a French schoolaster named Peyrony, who was really at the, head of the investigations in' this locality. The die-, coveries in these localities were even more modern than those she had, visited in Spain. Most of them had been discovered since 1895, probably the majority since 1909 Two caves were found in France last year, one near the Pyrennes and the other near Les Eyzies. There were other caves in France besides those she had mentioned which contained very interesting sculpture and paintings, but these were difficult to locate, and equally difficult to negotiate. She mentioned that these caves bore evidence of .laving been inhabited by tbe races of the Stone Age, but although paintings and engravings were found away back in the interior of the caves, it was apparent that the inhabitants lived only close to the entrances. At the close of her interesting lecture Miss De Beer was accorded a , hearty vote of thanks. ‘ f '