New Engravings from Abri Du Poisson (Dordogne, France)

Abstract

The Abri du Poisson rock shelter is famous for a very realistic and detailed bas-relief of a fi sh (salmon). Representations of fi sh are quite rare in Paleolithic cave art. Another image present in this rock shelter is a negative of a hand, made in black pigment (manganese oxide). Also, the National Museum of Prehistory in Les Eyzies de Tayac (Dordogne) owns several rock blocks, painted red, with relief representations belonging to the Aurignacian levels of Abri du Poisson. Since the early 1900s, studies at that site have mostly focused on the famous representations. The 2016 fi eld study was a preliminary stage in a new project. It focused on a detailed inspection, preceding the traceological analysis of engravings and bas-reliefs. During our examination, new drawings were discovered, and photogrammetry was used for their 3D visualization. As a result, we have demonstrated that the newly discovered elements are indeed representations rather than natural lines.