An example of the

art of the Upper Paleolithic The art of the Upper Paleolithic represents the oldest form of prehistoric art. Figurative art is present in prehistoric Europe, Europe and Prehistoric Indonesia, Southeast Asia, beginning around 50,000 years ago. Non-figurative cave paintings, c ...

in the Last Glacial Period, this decorated fragment of a perforated antler baton was discovered in 1863 by Edouard Lartet and Henry Christy at the Abri de la Madeleine, an overhanging cliff situated near Tursac, in the

Dordogne Dordogne ( , or ; ; ) is a large rural departments of France, department in south west France, with its Prefectures in France, prefecture in Périgueux. Located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region roughly half-way between the Loire Valley and ...

département and the

Aquitaine Aquitaine (, ; ; ; ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Aguiéne''), archaic Guyenne or Guienne (), is a historical region of southwestern France and a former Regions of France, administrative region. Since 1 January 2016 it has been part of the administ ...

Région of South-Western France. This is the type-site for the Magdalenian culture, currently dated to around 17,000 to 12,000 years ago. It was bequeathed to the

British Museum The British Museum is a Museum, public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is the largest in the world. It documents the story of human cu ...

by Christy, and is now catalogued as Palart 310, but not normally on display (see below for past exhibitions). The baton is 16.6 cm long, 5.5 cm wide and 3 cm thick. The fragment is broken at both ends and is distinguished by a near-cylindrical section, which is interrupted on one side by a horse motif, and on the other side by three deeply cut grooves. The baton has one perforated hole in the near centre, with a deep groove above it, which runs long ways just below the upper edge. Directly to the left of the perforated hole is an image of a horse; this faces to the right, and appears in low-relief. The figure has a large eye, a high angular shaped mane, and small forelegs that seem to sweep backwards. There are two incised V shapes on its flank that might suggest injury or movement. The occurrence of a large eye is a feature found on other baton examples excavated at La Madeleine.

Function

This decorated antler baton was used in the manufacture and throwing of spears. The hole is a gauge to shape the shaft of the spear. It can also be used to straighten both the tips and the shafts. By looping a strip of raw hide through the hole the tool becomes a weapon. Looping the thong around the end of the spear, turns the baton into a spear thrower. The object represents both a decorated tool and weapon; carrying kit that serves more than one function has immediate advantages when one is on the move.

Exhibitions

*April to June 2010 – 'Ice Age Sculpture' at the Henry Moore Institute, Leeds. *May to July 2006 – 'Undercover Surrealism' at Hayward Gallery, London. *February to May 2013 – exhibition at the

''Ice Age Art: Arrival of the Modern Mind''

References

*"British Museum"
on the British Museum online database

Function

Exhibitions

See also

References

Further reading