Cussac Cave (Dordogne, France): The role of the rock support in the parietal art distribution, technical choices, and intentional and unintentional marks on the cave walls

The endokarst landscape is the result of long erosion and sedimentation processes that have modelled an environment in which capricious forms abound. Despite being a hostile environment for human life, these caves must have attracted the attention of human groups from as early as the Palaeolithic. It is striking that many examples of rock art appear to be closely symbiotic with their natural support; nevertheless, it is difficult to confirm any relationship in the distribution of the decorated spaces, based on their morphology. Moreover, if we start from the hypothesis—widely accepted, but not demonstrated—that Palaeolithic cave art is a system of visual communication, the visibility of the art or the number of people who could be accommodated in the decorated sectors should be determining factors. In order to avoid making subjective appraisals when analysing these factors, we have designed a Python script with a workflow to work directly with 3D models of caverns using GISs, which can be easily replicated and edited by other researchers. Application of this script in the Magdalenian caves of Atxurra, Santimamiñe and Altxerri (Northern Spain) has allowed us to compare them accurately based on their visibility features. This has shown that in some cases, there may have been prior planning to enhance the visibility of some figures. In all cases, the groups of figures are located in deep and hidden parts of the caves, usually in sectors with limited capacity to accommodate people, which would be consistent with a system of restricted communication.

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“…This behaviour has already been noted by other authors (e.g. Lorblanchet, 1993;Ferrier et al, 2017).…”

Section: Visibilitysupporting

confidence: 85%

Application of Line of Sight and Potential Audience Analysis to Unravel the Spatial Organization of Palaeolithic Cave Art

Intxaurbe

Gárate

Arriolabengoa

et al. 2022

J Archaeol Method Theory

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“…As conservation measures prohibit directly sampling the cave wall, this problem could be overcome thanks to the proximity of the Pigeonnier Caves. Located about 500 m from the entrance of Cussac and formed by the dissolution of Upper Campanian limestones, the walls of these caves present similar superficial alterations (Ferrier et al 2017).…”

Section: Support Et Instruments : Les Media De La Gravure Dans La Gro...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cussac Cave, in the Dordogne departement of south-western France (fig. 1), contains both graphic expressions and human funerary deposits (Kacki et al 2 0 2 0 ) , t h e l a t t e r d a t e d t o t h e M i d d l e Gravettian, between 29,700 and 28,700 cal BP (Jaubert et al 2017).…”

Section: Panelmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Support et instruments : les media de la gravure dans la grotte de Cussac (Dordogne, France). Nouvelle approche méthodologique du Panneau du Réticulé

Brochard¹,

Feruglio²,

Bourdier³

et al. 2022

paleo

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Cussac, Panneau du Bouquetin, écailles et ailettes, similaires à celles produites lors des tests expérimentaux, retrouvées au niveau des incisions du Grand Mammouth (modifié d'après phg. P. Mora/PCR Cussac/MC et ph. V. Feruglio/PCR Cussac/MC). Cussac, Ibex Panel, Scales and rims, similar to those produced in the experimental tests, found in the incisions of the Great Mammoth (modified from phg. P. Mora/PCR Cussac/MC and ph. V. Feruglio/PCR Cussac/MC).

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“…Since 2010, Cussac cave (Dordogne, France) underwent several extensive research campaigns that focused on several non-invasive archaeological and anthropological investigations (Ferrier, et al, 2016, Henry-Gambier, et al, 2013, Villotte, et al, 2015. The cave hosts a unique combination of parietal art and human remains dating to the Gravettian (31,000 -22,000 BP).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

New data on the paleobiology of the Gravettian individual L2A from Cussac cave (Dordogne, France) through a virtual approach

Guyomarc’h

Samsel

Courtaud

et al. 2017

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

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One of several elements making Cussac cave an exceptional site is the preservation of many prehistoric human remains lying on the ground, including an individual in a bear nest (Locus 2) in ventral decubitus, subject L2A. The protected status of the site does not allow for excavations or direct manipulation of the remains, at least for the near future. Thus, the tools of virtual anthropology were employed to further study this individual, after preliminary analyses in situ in 2014 raised several questions on its biological characteristics. A high-resolution 3D photogrammetric record of Locus 2 allowed for the virtual reconstruction of the ossa coxarum and cranium to be measured in TIVMI. Metric data from the ossa coxarum were used to apply the DSP, which indicated a male sex assessment for the left side. The linear variables and log shape ratios extracted from the cranium were compared to a reference sample composed of 46 Upper Paleolithic (UP) subjects. The cranial morphology of L2A is closer to the male variability for the UP, but displays an unusual pattern, with a short cranial height and a wide splanchnocranium. The biological peculiarities of this subject are discussed with regard to Gravettian funerary practices and the depositional context of Cussac cave.

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Cussac Cave (Dordogne, France): The role of the rock support in the parietal art distribution, technical choices, and intentional and unintentional marks on the cave walls

Cited by 11 publications

References 6 publications

Application of Line of Sight and Potential Audience Analysis to Unravel the Spatial Organization of Palaeolithic Cave Art

Application of Line of Sight and Potential Audience Analysis to Unravel the Spatial Organization of Palaeolithic Cave Art

Support et instruments : les media de la gravure dans la grotte de Cussac (Dordogne, France). Nouvelle approche méthodologique du Panneau du Réticulé

New data on the paleobiology of the Gravettian individual L2A from Cussac cave (Dordogne, France) through a virtual approach

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