MORE AZILIAN ENGRAVINGS:

Azilian carved stone plaque,

Angouleme, France.

Internet photo.

On July 15, 2017, I posted a column titled NEW DISCOVERIES IN AZILIAN CULTURE ROCK ART, about the discovery of pictures engraved on stone plaques by the Azilian people in Paleolithic Europe. I have expanded on that subject since with two more columns about the same subject: NEW DISCOVERIES IN AZILIAN ART, on March 15, 2019; and followed by AZILIAN PAINTED PEBBLES, on March 23, 2019. Now discoveries in a new location in France have expanded this yet farther, and added to our appreciation of what was formerly thought of as a artistically impoverished time.

Another Azilian age stone plaque with markings on both sides has been found at an “ancient hunting site” near Angouleme, France.

Azilian carved stone plaque,

Angouleme, France.

Photo Natgeo.com

“Markings appear on both sides off the sandstone, the National Archaeological Research Institute (Inrap) said. The Palaeolithic stone plate, which is said to be about 25cm long, 18cm wide and 3 cm thick, ‘combines geometric and figurative motifs’, Inrap said. According to the institute, the most visible engraving is that of a headless horse,which covers at least half of the stone’s surface on one side. “Legs and hooves are very realistic” Inrap said on its website (in French), adding: “Two other animals, smaller, are also slightly incised. The other animals featured on the stone are slightly smaller, and could be a horse and a deer – which has a distinct shape to its hooves, the institute said.” (Anonymous)

“At 12,000 years old, the five animals engraved on the Angouleme stone represent the youngest examples of more realistic Azilian art. The prehistoric stone was unearthed by researchers from the French National Institute of Preventative Archaeological Research (Inrap). They had been excavating a site located near the station in Angouleme, a district to the north of Bordeaux.” (Randall 2019)

I have stated previously, that “lack of evidence is not evidence of lack”. The Azilians, assumed to have been culturally impoverished because they did not seem to create the monumental cave art of their predecessors. We are now beginning to learn that they did create relatively sophisticated art, we just had not found it up until now. And what still waits to be found?

NOTE: Some images in this posting were retrieved from the internet with a search for public domain photographs. If any of these images are not intended to be public domain, I apologize, and will happily provide the picture credits if the owner will contact me with them. For further information on these reports you should read the original reports at the sites listed below.

REFERENCES:

Anonymous,
2019 Prehistoric Stone Engraved With Horses Found in France, 6 June 2019, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-48539803

Faris, Peter
2017 New Discoveries in Azilian Culture Rock Art, July 15, 2017,

2019 New Discoveries in Azilian Art, March 15, 2019

2019 Azilian Painted Pebbles, March 23, 2019,https://rockartblog.blogspot.com/search?q=Azilian

Randall, Ian
2019 ‘Exceptional’ Prehistoric Stone Engraved with Horses That’s Believed to be 12,000 –Years-Old is Found in France, Alongside Rudimentary Fireplaces, Animal Bones and a Flint Carving Station, 7 June 2019, https://www.dailymail .co.uk/