The bison of La Grèze (Dordogne, France) under the microscope

Bibliographic Data

ID15041537
AuthorsLydia Zotkina (0000-0002-1912-3882), Lydia V Zotkina (Institute of Archeology and Ethnography, corresponding author)
Year2016
Volume27
Pages307-320
Publication date2016-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePaléo (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1145-3370 • E-ISSN: 2101-0420
PublisherOpenEdition (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.4000/paleo.3305
OpenAlexW2897859718
LanguageEN
References cited14

The scope of traceology, as defined by S.A.Semenov who founded the discipline, was broad, but in half a century most of the studies have focused on the use wear of lithic tools. Nonetheless, some pioneer works show that the analysis of tool marks can provide useful data to rock art studies and helps to address questions about the techniques, the « chaîne opératoire » and the chronology of the pictures. A topic which is directly linked but which has not yet been investigated concerns their renewal. Differences in the morphology of the engraved or pecked lines belonging to a same pattern can be seen as the result of distinct events. This has been the case with the bison of La Grèze cave, suspected to have been partly redrawn at the time of its discovery for making it more visible. A close examination of the outline with a binocular microscope and its 3D modeling at different scales show that, despite a fresh and white bottom of some parts of the groove, there is no evidence of secondary work : all the recent features are due to the natural alteration of the wall

Archaeology · Art · Cave · Geography · Archaeology and Rock Art Studies · Computer Science · History · Mineralogy and Gemology Studies · Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology · Geology · Paleontology

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