ABSTRACT
The Quaternary era was marked by an ever-changing climate, characterised by strong variations in temperature; glaciations alternated with interglacial periods for at least 1 million years. In parallel, the sea level varied considerably. The amplitude of these changes of level could exceed 120 m. In this context our species, Homo sapiens, knew how to conquer new territories and how to continue its evolution. On this subject de Lumley has written: ‘endowed with extraordinary capacities of adaptation, the Human being will develop his civilisations in all latitudes, in all climates, in all landscapes and will survive in extreme conditions. When his environmental factors become most difficult his cultural leaps will be the largest.’ 1 In fact, it was in the middle of the Ice Age, more than 35,000 years ago, that parietal art developed, leaving us caves decorated with admirable representations of vertebrate species, both as hunted animal and troublesome predator.
