Art paléolithique en Périgord. Les représentations humaines pariétales

Abstract: The caves of Périgord, decorated during the upper Paleolithic period, supplied more than a hundred human representations, often underestimated for the benefit of the rich group of animal figures: some are complete, realistic or simplistic, the others are fragmentary (sexes, male and feminine, heads and hands). They occupy gladly remarkable positions and are frequently regrouped among them. The simplistic feminine figures are numerous and they appear as well in panels consisted of animals as in groups specifically consisted of human representations. Male representations are characterized by the fact that they are represented in a single copy in every site and that they occupy there an important position, to the centre or to the bottom. These images could allow to make an idea of the artists who represented them. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]