De Chauvet à Lascaux

Résumé 0

Obviously “Ancient” rock art has been less studied than Magdalenian art; the reason for such a lack of interest may be its less spectacular character and its apparent relative rarity. Studies carried out by Jean Combier in the Ardeche valley since the late fifties, by Michel Corblanchet in the Lot as early as the seventies as well as those by Brigitte and Gilles Delluc in Aquitaine contributed to correct this imbalance. The study of “archaïc” rock art in Aquitaine by the Delluc constitute the only real synthesis about “ancient” parietal art. Nevertheless, this study is limited to Aquitaine. Broadening this geographic domain to the whole France and taking into account recent findings (Cosquer, Chauvet, Cussac) gives a new drive to research. We define as “ancient” the ornate aurignacian, gravettian and solutrean (pre-magdalenian) ensembles. In our study we concern ourselves with putting into perspective recently found elements and elements to be reconsidered within the chronology. Can we differentiate aurignacian, gravettian and solutrean cultures through a thematic and technostylistic approach? Does this double approach allows to isolate “momentary traditions” and “symbolic territories” within aurignacian, gravettian and solutrean complexes?