Laugerie-Basse

Laugerie-Basse is an important Upper Paleolithic archaeological site within the territory of the French commune Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil in Dordogne [1]. It is known for several works of art from the Magdalenian [1]. The prehistoric site consists of two abris: the main abri and 50 meters upstream the Abri of Marseilles [1]. In 1863 Édouard Lartet and Henry Christy began for the first time with excavations on the main abri [1]. The stratigraphy in the main abri comprises archaeological material mainly from Magdalenian III and Magdalenian IV [1]. Apart from stone artefacts and other tools, all in all approximately 600 art objects from the Magdalenian were recovered in Laugerie-Basse [1]. In Laugerie-Basse Paul Hurault, 8th Marquis de Vibraye discovered in 1864 the "Immodest Venus" which gave its name to the genre of Paleolithic Venus figurines [1]. The main abri was inhabited in the middle and upper Magdalenian as well as in the Azilian, which roughly corresponds to the time segment from 14,000 until 10,000 years BP [1].