fronttostrengthentheentrance。Agoodmanyoftheseeavesareprovidedwithanopeningforventilation，andsomeskilfulcontrivanceswereresortedtoforkeepingoutwater。Insidewefinddifferentfloors，shelves，andcrocketscutinthechalk，andonthefloorsM。deBayepickedupshells，ornaments，andflints，whichwerelyingjustwheretheirownershadleftthem。VerydifferentisallthisfromtheVezerecaves，andeverythingprovesanundeniableimprovementintheconditionsoflife。
Themostinterestingofalltheobjectsfoundinthesecavesare，however，thecarvings；butfewdatefromNeolithictimes，andsomearchaeologistshavearguedfromtheirabsenceinfavorofthedisplacementeverywhereofoldracesbytheincursionofnew-corners。Someofthesecarvingsrepresenthaftedhatchets，theflintbeingpaintedblacktomaketheraiseddesignstandoutbetter。Othersrepresenthumanfigures。IntheCoizardCave，forinstance，wasfoundaroughlyoutlinedrepresentationofawomanwithaprominentnose，eyesindicatedbyblackdots，highlydevelopedbreasts，butnolowerlimbs。Anecklaceadornsherthroat，andapendanthangingfromthisnecklaceiscoloredyellow。Onthepassageleadingtothedoorisengravedanotherfigurewhichwasoriginallymoreaccuratelydrawnthantheothers，butisnotinsuchgoodpreservation。IntheCourjonnetCaveweseeawomanwithabird’sbead；shewasprobablyoneoftheLARESPENATES，theprotectorsofthedomestichearth。WemeetwiththissamegoddessatSantorin，andatTroy，andontheshoresoftheVistula，whichisaveryinterestingethnologicalfact。
Theobjectsfoundinthesepulchralcavesareimportant，andincludedanumberofarrow-headswithtransversecuttingedges。Thereisnodoubtabouttheiruse；theyhavebeenpickedupinblackearth，incontactwithhumanbones，thedecompositionofthesoftpartsofwhichcausedthemtofalloutofthemortalwoundtheyhadinflicted。Withthesearrow-headswerefoundflintknives，largeslopedscrapers，polishers，andbonestilettos，thefemoraofaruminantwithapig’stoothfixedontoeachend，hoesmadeofstaghorn，beadsandpendantsmadeofbone，shell，schist，quartz，andaragonite，withtheteethofbears，boars，wolves，andfoxes，allpiercedwithholes。Someoftheshellantischistbeadswerespreaduponthesurfaceoftheskull，andperhapsformedanetorRESILLE，suchasthatalreadyreferredtoasfoundatBaousse-Rousse。
Forcenturiesthisoccupationofcavescontinued，offeringastheydidashelterthatwasdryandwarminwinter，andcoolinsummer。HomertellsusthattheCyclopslivedontheheightsofthemountainsandinthedepthsofthecaves，[113]andPrometheussaysthat，likethefeebleant，mendweltindeepsubterraneancaves，wherethesunneverpenetrated。[114]
WhilstthemenofthePetit-Morinvalleyhollowedoutcaves，orenlargedthosemadebynature，otherstookrefugeinbutsmadeofdriedclayandinterlacedbranches，orintentsoftheskinsoftheanimalstheyhadslain，and，thoughthesefragiledwellingshavedisappeared，leavingnotrace，thereyetremainindelibleevidencesofthepresenceofmanysuccessivegenerations。Everywherethroughouttheworldwefindheapsofrubbish，consistingchieflyoftheshellsofmolluscaandcrustacea，brokenbones，flakesofflint，andfragmentsofstoneandboneimplements，coveringvastareasandoftenrisingtoaconsiderableheight。