Mask of la Roche-Cotard explained

The Mask of la Roche-Cotard, also known as the "Mousterian Protofigurine", is an artifact dated to around 75,000 years ago,^[1] in the Mousterian period. It was found in 1975 in the entrance of a cave named La Roche-Cotard, territory of the commune of Langeais (Indre-et-Loire), on the banks of the river Loire.^{[2] [3]}

The artifact, possibly created by Neanderthal humans, is a piece of flat flint that has been shaped in a way that seems to resemble the upper part of a face. A piece of bone pushed through a hole in the stone has been interpreted as a representation of eyes. Paul Bahn has suggested this "mask" is "highly inconvenient", as "It makes a nonsense of the view that clueless Neanderthals could only copy their cultural superiors the Cro-Magnons".^[4] Though this may represent an example of artistic expression in Neanderthal humans,^[5] some archaeologists question whether the artifact represents a face,^[6] and some suggest that it may be practical rather than artistic.^[7]

In 2023 the oldest known Neanderthal engravings were found in La Roche-Cotard cave which have been dated to more than 57,000 years ago.^{[8] [9]}

See also

• Art of the Upper Paleolithic
• Art of the Middle Paleolithic
• List of Stone Age art

Further reading

• M. Lorblanchet, La naissance de l'Art. Genèse de l'art préhistorique, Errances, 1999
• Marquet J.-C., M. Lorblanchet, Le "Masque" moustérien de La Roche-Cotard, Langeais (Indre-et-Loire). Paléo, 2000, n° 12, p. 325-338.
• Laurence Nicoud: L'art néandertalien: réalité et énigme. Archéologia (Paris): 407:6, January 2004
• The Mousterian Protofigurine from La Roche-Cotard (France)

47.3367°N 0.4261°W

Notes and References

1. Marquet. Jean-Claude. Lorblanchet. Michel. Oberlin. Christine. Thamo-Bozso. Edit. Aubry. Thierry. 2016-12-30. New dating of the "mask" of La Roche-Cotard (Langeais, Indre-et-Loire, France). PALEO. Revue d'archéologie préhistorique. en. 27. 253–263. 10.4000/paleo.3278. 1145-3370. free.
2. News: Neanderthal 'face' found in Loire. Amos. Jonathan. 2 December 2003. BBC News. 2009-05-15.
3. News: Neanderthal art alters the face of archaeology. Palmer. Douglas. 6 December 2003. New Scientist. 2009-05-15.
4. Bahn. Paul. 23 August 2003. A bone to pick. New Scientist. 2409.
5. Pettitt. Paul B. April 2003. Is this the infancy of art? Or the art of an infant? A possible Neanderthal face from La Roche-Cotard, France. Before Farming. Western Academic & Specialist Press. 11. 3. 1476-4261. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20111002180404/http://www.waspress.co.uk/journals/beforefarming/journal_20034/news/BF3-4_11_NewsPettitt.pdf. 2011-10-02.
6. Book: Chase, Philip G. The emergence of culture: the evolution of a uniquely human way of life. Birkhäuser. 2006. 217. 9780387305127.
7. 12 December 2003. But is it art?. Science. AAAS. 302. 5652. 1890. 10.1126/science.302.5652.1890a. 149146480 .
8. News: Sample . Ian . 21 June 2023 . French cave markings said to be oldest known engravings by Neanderthals . en-GB . The Guardian . 22 June 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230621213128/https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/jun/21/engravings-french-cave-oldest-known-neanderthals-scientists . 21 June 2023 . 0261-3077.
9. Marquet . Jean-Claude . Freiesleben . Trine Holm . Thomsen . Kristina Jørkov . Murray . Andrew Sean . Calligaro . Morgane . Macaire . Jean-Jacques . Robert . Eric . Lorblanchet . Michel . Aubry . Thierry . Bayle . Grégory . Bréhéret . Jean-Gabriel . Camus . Hubert . Chareille . Pascal . Egels . Yves . Guillaud . Émilie . 2023-06-21 . The earliest unambiguous Neanderthal engravings on cave walls: La Roche-Cotard, Loire Valley, France . PLOS ONE . en . 18 . 6 . e0286568 . 10.1371/journal.pone.0286568 . 37343032 . 1932-6203 . 10284424 . free . 2023PLoSO..1886568M .