La Marche (cave)
Encyclopedia
La Marche is a cave
and archaeological site
located in Lussac-les-Châteaux
, a commune in the department of Vienne
, western France
. The carved etchings discovered there in 1937 show 15,000 year-old detailed depictions of humans. The cave paintings at this site are controversial and many doubt their authenticity.
, almost half are located in this country. In addition to La Marche, several other important cave sites from the Paleolithic
period have been discovered in France including those at Lascaux
, Niaux
, Trois Frères, Font-de-Gaume and Les Combarelles, Chauvet
, Cosquer, Cussac
, and Rouffignac
.
The artwork found in La Marche is specifically from the middle Magdalenian
period, dating to around 14,000 or 15,000 BCE. Factors that made La Marche an ideal archaeological site for artwork include its usefulness as a shelter to prehistoric humans, the cultural preference of these early people, and its relatively good preservation.
. Also, in the lectures that Lwoff gave about the caves, he gave his audience false information, thus discrediting the findings even more. The caves were studied again in 1938 and 1939 by the French priest Henri Breuil
. Breuil’s results were similar to Péricard’s findings, and therefore more people believed the authenticity of the paintings. After this, La Marche was not studied until recently.
In 2002, Péricard’s findings were reevaluated by Dr. Michael Rappenglueck of Munich University. He believes that Péricard’s findings are valid and has initiated a more thorough study of the caves. He also states that a large portion of the paintings were lost during Péricard's excavations: in his attempt to examine the walls, Péricard completely ignored the cave floors that possibly displayed even more paintings and etchings, destroying many of these in the process. Dr. Rappenglueck suggests that a detailed study of the cave floors may bring to light pieces of the puzzle advancing the credibility of Péricard’s original discovery.
that had been carefully placed on the floor.
In the past two decades an extensive inventory of the cave has been taken. 1,512 pieces have been found and numbered, 386 of which were deemed as compositional entities. The content of these etchings include animal
s, such as lion
s and bear
s, along with 155 depictions of humans, clad in robes and boots, each with their own well-defined faces.
over one another with a single figure cut out multiple times. This style made the engravings hard to isolate and decipher when they were first discovered in 1937 and also added to the doubt of the site’s authenticity.
, has been found engraved on the walls of Neolithic
caves, but rarely on those of the Paleolithic. Dr. Rappenglueck has suggested that these pits might have been filled with animal fat and set on fire to replicate the stars in the sky. If so, Rappenglueck ventures, this site could mark the origin of the candlelit festivals in the Far East that also celebrate the Pleiades.
during that period of World War II
.
The publication of the discovery in 1941 did not present information that coincided with the original documents created and presented by Lwoff and Péricard. Though certain commentaries by Lwoff and Péricard were meant to open up a discussion about the site’s validity, the reaction was one of skepticism. More doubt was raised due to a number of lectures regarding La Marche given by Lwoff. Lwoff's lectures included incorrect facts. This point can be noted in one of the lectures given by Lwoff in Paris
regarding L'homme de Lussac.
At the same time, the French Prehistoric Society supported the findings at La Marche and attested to the authenticity of the paintings even if some of the details were questionable. The official report from the French Prehistoric Society states that the findings at La Marche are completely authentic. However, this statement was not enough to quell the skepticism of many prehistorians.
It seems that the skepticism was not disarmed until 1942 at the reception of a letter and report from priest
and archaeologist Henri Breuil
. This priest had been to La Marche and searched it for three weeks, seeing all of the material found from its discovery up until April 1940. Ultimately, his report dispelled much of the doubt and skepticism within the archaeological community.
More recently French archaeologist André Leroi-Gourhan
analyzed the technique of the etchings. His findings indicate that the drawings are too complicated to come from the era to which they have been dated. He believes that the searches do not yield enough hard evidence to be proven authentic. He compared La Marche to another cave, Angles-sur-L'Anglan, which has provided more detailed proof whereas La Marche’s information is not as clear-cut.
The doubt regarding the engravings has had many consequences on the development of the discovery. Due to the high percentage of skepticism, the findings were not exposed immediately at the Museum de Saint Germain
. This has allowed for further study and preservation of the artifacts found at La Marche. Upon closer examination, the quality and nature of the etchings is an extremely important contribution to the study of cave people.
As a result, this discovery has forced anthropologists to reconsider such fundamental concepts as cognitive evolution and the definition of writing
. d’Errico argues that cognitive evolution, or the assumption that writing systems naturally became more complex over time, does not apply in the case of the antler, which contains a more advanced recording system than that of the early Neolithic period. Thus, d’Errico does not agree that artifacts like the reindeer antler can fairly be classified as from the pre-writing period as they always have been. This recent debate between archaeologists can be seen as even further proof that scientific opinion is increasingly favoring La Marche as an authentic site.
Cave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
and archaeological site
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
located in Lussac-les-Châteaux
Lussac-les-Châteaux
Lussac-les-Châteaux is a commune in the Vienne department in the Poitou-Charentes region in western France.- Prehistory :The importance of the prehistoric art at Lussac is evidenced by the presence of numerous archaeological artefacts in the Museum of National Antiquities at...
, a commune in the department of Vienne
Vienne
Vienne is the northernmost département of the Poitou-Charentes region of France, named after the river Vienne.- Viennese history :Vienne is one of the original 83 departments, established on March 4, 1790 during the French Revolution. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Poitou,...
, western France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The carved etchings discovered there in 1937 show 15,000 year-old detailed depictions of humans. The cave paintings at this site are controversial and many doubt their authenticity.
Location
The La Marche cave is located in the Lussac-les-Châteaux area of western France. It is at the bottom of a small valley bordered by the Petit Moulin river, and is most likely the result of the river’s underground tunneling. Of the 350 known sites of European cave art from the Ice AgeIce age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
, almost half are located in this country. In addition to La Marche, several other important cave sites from the Paleolithic
Paleolithic
The Paleolithic Age, Era or Period, is a prehistoric period of human history distinguished by the development of the most primitive stone tools discovered , and covers roughly 99% of human technological prehistory...
period have been discovered in France including those at Lascaux
Lascaux
Lascaux is the setting of a complex of caves in southwestern France famous for its Paleolithic cave paintings. The original caves are located near the village of Montignac, in the department of Dordogne. They contain some of the best-known Upper Paleolithic art. These paintings are estimated to be...
, Niaux
Niaux
Niaux is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.Located on the right banks of the Vicdessos river, Niaux is best known for the Cave of Niaux. The cave is world famous for its prehistoric cave paintings of bison and horses from the Magdalénien era.-Population:Inhabitants are...
, Trois Frères, Font-de-Gaume and Les Combarelles, Chauvet
Chauvet Cave
The Chauvet-Pont-d'Arc Cave is a cave in the Ardèche department of southern France that contains the earliest known cave paintings, as well as other evidence of Upper Paleolithic life. It is located near the commune of Vallon-Pont-d'Arc on a limestone cliff above the former bed of the Ardèche River...
, Cosquer, Cussac
Grotte de Cussac
The Grotte de Cussac is a cave containing over 150 Paleolithic artworks as well as several human remains. It is located in the Dordogne River valley in Le Buisson-de-Cadouin, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France....
, and Rouffignac
Rouffignac
Rouffignac is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
.
The artwork found in La Marche is specifically from the middle Magdalenian
Magdalenian
The Magdalenian , refers to one of the later cultures of the Upper Paleolithic in western Europe, dating from around 17,000 BP to 9,000 BP...
period, dating to around 14,000 or 15,000 BCE. Factors that made La Marche an ideal archaeological site for artwork include its usefulness as a shelter to prehistoric humans, the cultural preference of these early people, and its relatively good preservation.
History
The La Marche cave paintings were discovered in the caves in the Lussac-les-Châteaux area of France by Léon Péricard in November 1937. Péricard, and his partner Stephane Lwoff, studied these caves for five years, and found etchings on over 1,500 slabs. In 1938, they presented their discovery to the French Prehistoric Society, and published them in the Society's Bulletin,. However, many people questioned the validity of these findings because the paintings closely resembled modern artModern art
Modern art includes artistic works produced during the period extending roughly from the 1860s to the 1970s, and denotes the style and philosophy of the art produced during that era. The term is usually associated with art in which the traditions of the past have been thrown aside in a spirit of...
. Also, in the lectures that Lwoff gave about the caves, he gave his audience false information, thus discrediting the findings even more. The caves were studied again in 1938 and 1939 by the French priest Henri Breuil
Henri Breuil
Henri Édouard Prosper Breuil , often referred to as Abbé Breuil, was a French Catholic priest, archaeologist, anthropologist, ethnologist and geologist...
. Breuil’s results were similar to Péricard’s findings, and therefore more people believed the authenticity of the paintings. After this, La Marche was not studied until recently.
In 2002, Péricard’s findings were reevaluated by Dr. Michael Rappenglueck of Munich University. He believes that Péricard’s findings are valid and has initiated a more thorough study of the caves. He also states that a large portion of the paintings were lost during Péricard's excavations: in his attempt to examine the walls, Péricard completely ignored the cave floors that possibly displayed even more paintings and etchings, destroying many of these in the process. Dr. Rappenglueck suggests that a detailed study of the cave floors may bring to light pieces of the puzzle advancing the credibility of Péricard’s original discovery.
Finds at La Marche
When French scientist Léon Péricard excavated La Marche between 1937 and 1942 he catalogued over 1,500 slabs of limestoneLimestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
that had been carefully placed on the floor.
In the past two decades an extensive inventory of the cave has been taken. 1,512 pieces have been found and numbered, 386 of which were deemed as compositional entities. The content of these etchings include animal
Animal
Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and...
s, such as lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
s and bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
s, along with 155 depictions of humans, clad in robes and boots, each with their own well-defined faces.
Style
The intricate portraits of La Marche do not resemble the stick figure style that was common in prehistoric cave paintings. Instead, these portraits are more lifelike and realistic. The engravings are also more complex and present in higher qualities than in other sites. Many of the figures are superimposedSuperimposed
Superimposed is an Indie Metal band based in Manchester, England. The exact membership of the band is subject to speculation, as the number of members appearing at gigs varies, and their identity is heavily masked...
over one another with a single figure cut out multiple times. This style made the engravings hard to isolate and decipher when they were first discovered in 1937 and also added to the doubt of the site’s authenticity.
Humans
Péricard originally found 69 human figurines in the caves. There were 49 etchings of heads alone and 18 with the whole body. All together, there were 50 etchings of females, 12 of males and 5 that were of indeterminate gender. Eventually, 155 human figurines were found.Heads
When studying the heads and faces of the human etchings, Péricard took detailed observations of the eyes, ears and nose. He also studied skull structure, such as the shape of the chin and cheekbones. He noticed that there were different types of facial features for each etching. This shows that the etchings were differentiated for different people. A person was identified by certain facial characteristics and this was mirrored by the etching. Pales, Leon. Les Gravures de la Marche: Humains. 2. Bordeaux: Imprimeries Delmas, 1969. This differentiation can extend to simply determining the gender of the subject. By combining different facial features, scientists are able to determine the gender of a figure by its face alone.Bodies
The etchings of the bodies in La Marche have distinct characteristics as well. Generally, the etchings are those of obese women. The bodies of the women were constructed in a diamond shape, with a small head, large stomach and small feet. Men were also etched with large bodies, although this was not as prominent in men as it was in women. Bodies are also extremely useful in determining the gender of an etching, in that they portrayed the secondary sex characteristics. In addition, many of the engravings show people wearing hats, robes and boots. Although this does not coincide with the previously accepted view of prehistoric people, it may be because paintings depicting clothed humans were destroyed in the other caves while scientists were studying the walls.Constellations
Additionally, Dr. Michael Rappenglueck has noted pits arranged like certain constellations on the cave floor. One constellation on La Marche’s floor, the PleiadesPleiades (star cluster)
In astronomy, the Pleiades, or Seven Sisters , is an open star cluster containing middle-aged hot B-type stars located in the constellation of Taurus. It is among the nearest star clusters to Earth and is the cluster most obvious to the naked eye in the night sky...
, has been found engraved on the walls of Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
caves, but rarely on those of the Paleolithic. Dr. Rappenglueck has suggested that these pits might have been filled with animal fat and set on fire to replicate the stars in the sky. If so, Rappenglueck ventures, this site could mark the origin of the candlelit festivals in the Far East that also celebrate the Pleiades.
At the time of discovery
Péricard and Lwoff were the main contributors to the discovery and created the original documents concerning the findings at La Marche. These documents focused mostly the depictions of humans. When the documents were presented before the French Prehistoric Society, they were greeted with skepticism. This especially came from their colleagues in the northern region of France, which was occupied by GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
during that period of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
The publication of the discovery in 1941 did not present information that coincided with the original documents created and presented by Lwoff and Péricard. Though certain commentaries by Lwoff and Péricard were meant to open up a discussion about the site’s validity, the reaction was one of skepticism. More doubt was raised due to a number of lectures regarding La Marche given by Lwoff. Lwoff's lectures included incorrect facts. This point can be noted in one of the lectures given by Lwoff in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
regarding L'homme de Lussac.
At the same time, the French Prehistoric Society supported the findings at La Marche and attested to the authenticity of the paintings even if some of the details were questionable. The official report from the French Prehistoric Society states that the findings at La Marche are completely authentic. However, this statement was not enough to quell the skepticism of many prehistorians.
It seems that the skepticism was not disarmed until 1942 at the reception of a letter and report from priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
and archaeologist Henri Breuil
Henri Breuil
Henri Édouard Prosper Breuil , often referred to as Abbé Breuil, was a French Catholic priest, archaeologist, anthropologist, ethnologist and geologist...
. This priest had been to La Marche and searched it for three weeks, seeing all of the material found from its discovery up until April 1940. Ultimately, his report dispelled much of the doubt and skepticism within the archaeological community.
More recently French archaeologist André Leroi-Gourhan
André Leroi-Gourhan
André Leroi-Gourhan was a French archaeologist, paleontologist, paleoanthropologist, and anthropologist with an interest in technology and aesthetics and a penchant for philosophical reflection.- Biography :...
analyzed the technique of the etchings. His findings indicate that the drawings are too complicated to come from the era to which they have been dated. He believes that the searches do not yield enough hard evidence to be proven authentic. He compared La Marche to another cave, Angles-sur-L'Anglan, which has provided more detailed proof whereas La Marche’s information is not as clear-cut.
The doubt regarding the engravings has had many consequences on the development of the discovery. Due to the high percentage of skepticism, the findings were not exposed immediately at the Museum de Saint Germain
Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye
The Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye is a royal palace in the commune of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, in the département of Yvelines, about 19 km west of Paris, France. Today, it houses the Musée d'Archéologie Nationale ....
. This has allowed for further study and preservation of the artifacts found at La Marche. Upon closer examination, the quality and nature of the etchings is an extremely important contribution to the study of cave people.
Further debate
Certain findings at La Marche have led to greater debate over the origin and development of writing systems. In particular, an engraved reindeer antler from La Marche has provided proof that more sophisticated systems of symbols existed during the Paleolithic period than once believed. Francesco d'Errico, an archaeologist who analyzed the antler, sees it as proof that humans at this time had “artificial memory systems,” which enabled them to record various groupings of information.As a result, this discovery has forced anthropologists to reconsider such fundamental concepts as cognitive evolution and the definition of writing
Writing
Writing is the representation of language in a textual medium through the use of a set of signs or symbols . It is distinguished from illustration, such as cave drawing and painting, and non-symbolic preservation of language via non-textual media, such as magnetic tape audio.Writing most likely...
. d’Errico argues that cognitive evolution, or the assumption that writing systems naturally became more complex over time, does not apply in the case of the antler, which contains a more advanced recording system than that of the early Neolithic period. Thus, d’Errico does not agree that artifacts like the reindeer antler can fairly be classified as from the pre-writing period as they always have been. This recent debate between archaeologists can be seen as even further proof that scientific opinion is increasingly favoring La Marche as an authentic site.
External links
- Whitehouse, David (28 May 2002). "Faces from the Ice Age." BBC News.