Spots, Stripes and Spreading Hooves in the Horses of the Ice Age
The famous, highly stylized leopard-spotted horses of Pech Merle. I'm not convinced that these are really meant to be depictions of horses that really were leopard-spotted in life: note that spots like those present on the horses have been depicted elsewhere on the cave walls.
Overview of Cave Paintings and Sculptures
Tableau des principaux caractères du style IV. A. Nord : Arcy-sur-Cure. B. Poitou-Périgord : (1) Les Combarelles, Angles-sur-l'Anglin, Cap-Blanc, Lascaux (Puits) ; (2) Les Combarelles, Rouffignac ; (3) Teyjat. C. Pyrénées : (1) Marsoulas, Niaux, Labastide ; (2) Les Trois-Frères, Le Portel. D. Espagne : (1) Altamira, Santimamiñe; ; (2) Las Chimeneas, El Pindal, Los Casares. The columns left to right are of: Signs, Bison, Aurochs, Horses, Ibex, Reindeer, Mammoths/Deer, Rhinoceros.
Found in 1940, the Lascaux cave paintings represent many animals, including horses, bulls, deer, ibex, cats, a rhinoceros, and even the legendary unicorn. These pictures are accompanied by enigmatic signs and some human representations, such as a man facing a charging bison, raising new questions about the perception of our prehistoric ancestors. These paintings are estimated to be 17,300 years old.