Stepping-Stones : A Journey Through the Ice Age Caves of the Dordogne

by Christine Desdemaines-Hugon; Foreword by Ian Tattersall

• ISBN13: 9780300152661
• ISBN10: 0300152663
• Format: Trade Book
• Copyright: 2010-04-20
• Publisher: Yale University Press

Summary

The cave art of France's Dordogne region is world-famous for the mythology and beauty of its remarkable drawings and paintings. These ancient images of lively bison, horses, and mammoths, as well as symbols of all kinds, are fascinating touchstones in the development of human culture, demonstrating how far humankind has come and reminding us of the ties that bind us across the ages. Over more than twenty-five years of teaching and research, Christine Desdemaines-Hugon has become an unrivaled expert in the cave art and artists of the Dordogne region. In her new book she combines her expertise in both art and archaeology to convey an intimate understanding of the "cave experience." Her keen insights communicate not only the incomparable artistic value of these works but also the near-spiritual impact of viewing them for oneself. Focusing on five fascinating sites, including the famed Font de Gaume and others that still remain open to the public,Stepping-Stonesreveals striking similarities between art forms of the Paleolithic and works of modern artists and gives us a unique pathway toward understanding the culture of the Dordogne Paleolithic peoples and how it still touches our lives today.

Author Biography

Christine Desdemaines-Hugon is an eminent scholar of prehistoric anthropology and cave art of the Dordogne region of France and is well known for the tours she gives to many visitors and tourists. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, Town and Country magazine, and USA Today, among other publications. She lives in Campagne, France.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations	p. viii
Foreword	p. xi
Preface	p. xiv
Acknowledgments	p. xviii
Freshly Plowed Fields in the Vézère Valley	p. 1
Font de Gaume	p. 9
Millions of Years Ago	p. 28
Neanderthals and Homo sapiens	p. 37
Combarelles	p. 51
Venus Figures, Blades, Beads, and Bone	p. 71
Rouffignac	p. 97
Laurel Leaves and Needles	p. 121
Cap Blanc	p. 129
Art at Its Peak	p. 140
Bernifal	p. 173
Afterword	p. 193
Appendix: Sites to Visit	p. 195
Recommended Reading	p. 203
Index	p. 211
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