Couze (Dordogne)

The Couze is a 30.1-kilometre-long (18.7 mi) tributary of the Dordogne in France,[1] with its source between Fongalop and Bouillac, and its mouth in Port-de-Couze. The lower half of the stream runs between limestone cliffs. The main villages along the river and its small tributaries are Beaumont-du-Périgord, Montferrand-du-Périgord, Couze-et-Saint-Front and Saint-Avit-Sénieur.

Couze
Couze (Dordogne) is located in France
Couze (Dordogne)
Couze (Dordogne) is located in Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Couze (Dordogne)
Location
CountryFrance
Physical characteristics
MouthDordogne
 • coordinates
44°49′53″N 0°42′11″E
Length30.1 km (18.7 mi)
Basin features
ProgressionDordogne→ Gironde estuary→ Atlantic Ocean

Alongside the river many Paleolithic sites have been found, including the important sites of La Gravette which gave its name to the Gravettian, a major European prehistoric culture which lasted from more than 10,000 years between circa 33,000 BP and 21,000 BP; and Combe-Capelle. Remains from the Neolithic and later periods are more sparse, until habitation again increased in the Middle Ages.[2]

Paleolithic sites

The first archaeological excavations started in the late 19th century, and intensified between 1900 and 1914. The main archaeologist working here was Denis Peyrony from Les Eyzies.[2]

  • La Gravette, eponymous site for the Gravettian culture, discovered in 1880
  • Combe-Capelle, where in 1909 a skull was found which was thought to be 30,000 years old. Later research revised the date to 7,000 years old.
  • La Cavaille, cave with a few engravings from the Périgordian period, discovered in 1934
  • Les Jean-Blancs, where an engraving of a female figure dating to the Upper Magdalenian was found
  • Termo-Pialat, discovered in 1911, where some engraved blocks were found

Medieval sites

Notes
  1. Sandre. "Fiche cours d'eau - La Couze (P50-0400)".
  2. Lenoir, Michel and Dibble, Harold L. (1995). "Overview of the History of Prehistoric Research in the Couze Valley". The Middle Paleolithic Site of Combe-Capelle Bas (France). UPenn Museum of Archaeology. pp. 1–5. ISBN 9780924171383.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)


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