Finding Altamira Page #3

perhaps.

How old?

Ten thousand years. Maybe more.

This is even before the time

of Adam and Eve. How can that be?

You truly believe your cave people

could have been painters?

Whoever did this was a great artist.

As great as any in history.

Miss Maria.

Conchita, it's a miracle.

It's incredible.

If I wouldn't have seen it

with my own eyes...

I have to talk Professor Vilanova.

And then we should get in contact

with Cartailhac.

- This discovery is worthy of his genius.

- Enough!

- Yes, Cartailhac.

- Maria!

My discovery is worthy

of Cartailhac's genius.

What do you say to that?

Never heard of him.

Papa told you about the oxen?

Yes. And that you found them.

You're not cross with me?

Of course not, darling.

And you're not cross with Papa

about Adam and Eve?

Don't worry about such things.

Go to sleep.

Paleolithic, Palaeolithic.

Will you show me

your "long haired oxen", young lady?

They aren't hairy oxen, Professor,

but bison which inhabited

this region during the Ice Age.

Ahah! A young archaeologist.

Look at this.

And over here.

Look at this.

Look at his head.

It looks as if it were painted

yesterday.

I wonder if this dark cave

may have preserved them

perfectly down the centuries.

Dating the work is problematic

without geological layers.

The cave was sealed and we have found

nothing more recent

than the Upper Paleolithic,

10.000 years by your calculations.

There are carvings and engravings

from this period

but they're small, portable, much like

the work of primitive peoples today.

Nothing like this.

We found this shell

just there by the wall.

Traces of colour.

Which could be red ochre.

Yes, yes, it's quite possible.

So, Professor Vilanova,

what is your opinion?

I've never seen anything like it:

I don't believe anyone has.

It simply doesn't fit

our ideas of Prehistoric Man.

Perhaps all our ideas are wrong.

Gentlemen, please!

Respect for our distinguished visitor.

Some of you have yourselves seen

the evidence of the cave:

a polychrome wall painting

of extinct creatures

in pristine condition.

There is no other example

of such work

from the Paleolithic Era anywhere.

Because they aren't Paleolithic.

Sir.

This is Paleolithic.

And... this is Paleolithic.

I have an extensive collection

which the Council

is very welcome to see,

having made Prehistory

my study for several years.

I realise this is a profoundly

shocking discovery.

Or an absurd mistake

which will make us Cantabrians

the laughing stock

throughout the world.

May I ask, sir, how you would account

for the paintings?

Certainly.

They are the work

of runaway slaves

when this was a Roman province

some two thousand years ago.

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