Mask of la Roche-Cotard

The Mask of La Roche- Cotard is a product from the Mousterian artifact as a proto- figurine - is therefore referred to as a precursor to the Upper Palaeolithic cabaret. The object was found in 2002 at the entrance of the cave of La Roche- Cotard. The cave is situated on the banks of the Loire, in the commune of Langeais ( Indre- et- Loire). The cave is known since 1912, but the works, the Middle Mousterian horizon only since 1995.

The Fund has been dated to at least 33,000 years before present, but is probably an older dated to the Middle Palaeolithic. As a manufacturer applies the mask so that the Neanderthals. It consists of a flat, triangular piece of flint from about 10 cm diameter, having a naturally formed cavity likely. Into it a 7.5 cm long piece of bone was placed and tilted. The resulting picture suggests that the eyes of a human (or animal? ) Mask. The stone was still a little post-processed in order to increase the similarity with a face. This finding confirms the already dealt with the Neanderthal art. In addition to the discovery of the mask other human legacies were found as well as those of hyenas.