An introduction to the study of prehistoric art . described by Spencer and Gillen.^From his study of the deposits in which they were found,M. Piette came to the conclusion that they date from nearthe close of the Reindeer age. This being so, it is clearthat he was at first mistaken in regarding \{\^ galets color^sas being the most ancient paintings known, for, as we haveseen, many of the cave paintings are much older. Itis not uninteresting to note that painted stones compar-able to these prehistoric coloured pebbles have been dis- 1 Cf. VAnthrop., xiv., p. 41, and xvi., p. The Central Tri
An introduction to the study of prehistoric art . described by Spencer and Gillen.^From his study of the deposits in which they were found,M. Piette came to the conclusion that they date from nearthe close of the Reindeer age. This being so, it is clearthat he was at first mistaken in regarding \{\^ galets color^sas being the most ancient paintings known, for, as we haveseen, many of the cave paintings are much older. Itis not uninteresting to note that painted stones compar-able to these prehistoric coloured pebbles have been dis- 1 Cf. VAnthrop., xiv., p. 41, and xvi., p. The Central Tribes of Australia (1899). MURAL DECORATION OF CAVES 95 covered widely distributed in America. In the southerncontinent they have, in fact, been found among nativetribes from Guiana to Patagonia.^ 4. THE REGION OF NORTH-WEST SPAIN. In this district more or less evidence of mural decora-tion has been discovered in no less than sixteen and foremost is that of Altamira a Santilane, al-ready referred to. Situated not far from Santander, on. Fig. 124.—Altamira. Plan of cave. Length, 280 metres. A, Entrance. B, Vestibule. C, Chamber with great frescoon roof. D, Fallen rock. G, Stalagmite with engravedfigures. H, Diverticulum ornamented with designs in , Gallery with ancient fallen roof. K, Cascade of stalag-mite. N, End passage, (From Cav. dAltam.) the northern flank of the Cantabrian mountains, it was dis-covered by a hunter in 1868, and explored and describedby M. de Santuola in 1879 and the following importance and significance of its mural ornamenta- ^ See Wilson on Prehistoric Art in Ann. Report SmithsonianInstitution (1896), p. 325. 96 PREHISTORIC ART tion was not, however, realized and appreciated untilseveral years later, when the cave was again examinedand most carefully studied by MM. Cartailhac and Breuil,who have published the full results of their investiga-tions in a finely illustrated monograph (Fig. 124). Onthe walls and roof are engravings a
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