Fawn Pen at the Birds of Mas d'Azil

In 1950, archaeologist Romain Robert resumed exploration of the Bédeilhac cave in Ariège, hoping to discover new chambers. Wanting to enter a narrow passage, he began to create a lowered passage by digging into the clay fill with a hook, and in doing so, inadvertently brought an object towards him, more precisely the spearhead known as the "Fawn and Bird." The use of the hook, however, had some less fortunate consequences, as the spearhead was fractured. However, the breakage of the spearhead rod is old, and the rest has not been found.

Made from a small reindeer antler, the "fawn" is depicted with its head turned backward, its legs folded, its hooves pressed against its belly, and its tail stretched out. Beneath the tail, an elongated mass attaches the animal's rump to the hook.
of the propeller. The numerous and naturalistic engraved details are present on
both sides of the head: ears, muzzle, nostrils, mouth and folds of the neck. The lines
incised on the legs, belly and back perhaps mark the different colors
of the coat. The eyes are filled with small beads, one in amber and the other
in lignite, a technique exceptionally preserved on Paleolithic art objects.
The small cups located at the level of the hooves were perhaps encrusted
also. Finally, remnants of red dye are visible at the bottom of the engraved lines,
perhaps remnants of paint or material used to polish the surface of
the object.

Initially, the animal depicted was considered to be a fawn, a kid or a goat. Another interpretation seems to be
most likely: a young female giving birth and looking back to
monitor the operation. The hypothesis
of a much more complex myth, where a doe gives birth to a bird, is
also possible… This decoration is found on other propellers, coming from
from the Pyrenees (Mas d'Azil, Arudy, Isturitz, etc.) and dating from the Middle Magdalenian.