. Discovery. Science. FlO 2.—SLAB BI,0CKING THE PASSAGE TO THE NORTHERN APSES IN THE SECOND TEMPLE AT TARXIEN. The spirals are simple, and branched off only at one point; they are Hat and smooth, thus differing from the spirals of the third temple. detriment of the carved figures. One of the bulls is badly damaged, but the other one is tolerably well preserved and resembles, in many ways, the animals depicted in the Early Stone Age caves of Dordogne.^ Below this bull there is a smaller animal, very probably a sow. The outline of this animal is not very clear, but a long row of teats, or very y
. Discovery. Science. FlO 2.—SLAB BI,0CKING THE PASSAGE TO THE NORTHERN APSES IN THE SECOND TEMPLE AT TARXIEN. The spirals are simple, and branched off only at one point; they are Hat and smooth, thus differing from the spirals of the third temple. detriment of the carved figures. One of the bulls is badly damaged, but the other one is tolerably well preserved and resembles, in many ways, the animals depicted in the Early Stone Age caves of Dordogne.^ Below this bull there is a smaller animal, very probably a sow. The outline of this animal is not very clear, but a long row of teats, or very young sucklings, definitely indicate its genus. In the centre of the two oval chambers, low circular fireplaces are built, which still remain full of ashes ; and in a corner of the main entrance a large stone vase, hewn out of a single slab of stone similar to those used in the structure of the building, was found in fragments but has since been repaired. The third temple is built to the south of the second one, upon one side of which it distinctly encroaches. This fact alone would show that it is a later addition, but one has likewise to note that the plan of the building is inferior in design to the other two, and that there is a great profusion of decoration, nearly every block of stone being ornamented with scrolls in relief. Three of the rooms of this sanctuary display a ' The most important of these caves from an archaeological point of view are situated in the rocks of the valley of the Lower Vezere, Department of Dordogne, South-western France. charming collection of curved patterns, mostly spirals, simple or branched, single or entwined ; some of the patterns are suggestive of thistle leaves, others of goats' horns, whilst on a low step we can see foreshadowed the classical egg-and-tongue ornament. Four altars in the main hall are carved with graceful scrolls, some of which are in such a low relief as to have the appearance of an inlay broidering the ground. On one of
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