The rock engravings in the Vallée des Merveilles

The next morning at 8 am we went on a guided tour of the bronze-age rock engravings in the Valée des Merveilles. Our guide (Yves) took us to see several different sets of rock engravings. The engravings are always made on horizontal grey schist rock with red iron ore deposits on the surface. They are cut with a piece of quartz using a boring technique (not by drawing lines). They are quite symbolic and represent only a limited set of images which include bulls horns, yokes, daggers, halbards, reticulés (networks of lines) and the occasional human. They are dated by comparing the drawn objects with metal implements such as bronze daggers found in the area. This guide suggested that the motivation for making the engravings was to persuade the gods to make the crops and farm animals grow well.

Lac Long Superieur	Rock engravings in the Vallee des Merveilles	Bull horns and land parcels
Attelage - yoked animals	More engravings	Second site: dagger
Halbard	Third site: 'reticulé' (network of lines)	Small lakes in Valee des Merveilles
Lac des Merveilles	Figure with hands	Lac des Conques