Finding Altamira

1

Looters. Speculators.

Grave robbers.

This is how Prehistorians

are perceived.

"The meek shall inherit the Earth."

Not those who arrogantly seek

to explain the miracle of Creation.

But our quest is for

the Origins of Mankind.

Think then of the peril

should your children

be exposed to their heresy.

It is imperative that we raise

the standing of our infant science,

as the great Charles Darwin

has done for Natural History.

Anyone who does not confess

that the world and all things in it...

are created for the glory of God:

let him be anathema,

cast out from the Church.

My name is Maria Sautuola.

When I was nine years old,

my world was torn apart.

Even so,

I don't regret for what we did,

for what we discover.

It all began

when Papa went to Paris

to hear the greatest archaeologists

of the age.

Papa was a scholar and a scientist,

but above all

a fearless seeker of truth.

Don Marcelino, are we looking at

our primitive ancestors?

Only a few steps from the cave.

I was trying to imagine

how I would behave if my house

were on display like a zoo.

We should go.

The lecture will be packed.

We must be rigorous, methodical,

scientific in our work,

or the forces of Reaction

will crush us.

Good speech, Cartailhac.

Allow me to introduce my friend,

Mister Sautuola,

a keen recruit to our field.

Another Jesuit?

No, sir.

A beginner,

an enthusiast without prejudice.

I'm learning so much

from your journal, sir.

It's men like you

we academics rely on.

The honest amateur

is our foot soldier.

Only do not let his dogma infect you.

Please, its for you.

Mama, mama.

Be careful with those, Maria.

Mero!

Oh, Marcelino, is that a hat?

From Paris?

- Yes... I mean, no.

- Thank you.

Forgive me, Conchita!

It's for my orchid collection and...

I shall wear it to church?

See what my husband has brought

from Paris.

We are joining Cartailhac's army.

Marcelino, you've only just arrived.

Can I come?

I must be old enough by now.

See how tall I am. Let's go.

No one is going hunting

or joining any armies.

- What beautiful they are!

- Maria, time for practice.

Maria Justina!

You practice, then we'll go.

NATURAL AND PRIMITIVE HISTORY OF MAN

EMILE CARTAILHAC

And Father Tomas says

I should be confirmed this Autumn

or it will be too late.

Too late! Why's that?

Because I ask too many questions.

Do I:
Papa?

It's impossible to ask

too many questions

as long as you pay attention

to the answers.

The primitives

lived over 10.000 years ago.

So by digging down, we look back

a telescope of time.

This must have been a good place.

Sheltered.

Did they sleep on the mud?

And these were skilled craftsmen.

They could make what they needed.

What does it say in Genesis?

"Thou art dust and..."

"And to dust thou shalt return."

Even here,

protected from the elements,

only the hardest things

survive the ages:

stone, shells,

bone.

Now listen.

That muddy cave!

Prayers, Missy.

Dust to dust, ashes to ashes.

Amen.

- Oh, she's asleep.

- No wonder. Exhausted.

I'm not asleep. Show me now!

Maria,

look through this little window.

Ready?

Papa bought it in Paris.

Moving pictures.

Magical!

But how?

Twelve mirrors.

As the cylinder turns, the reflections

give the illusion of motion.

Why are there rainbows?

A prism, where the light

is bent by the glass-

It wants to grow that way.

Well,

if that's what it wants,

we can move the path.

Why not?

C'mon. Come here.

Yeah, right here.

Throw a line over here.

Over here.

We cannot fight nature, Mero.

To the right, to the right.

What if no one comes?

I hope no one comes.

Ah, don't say that!

I only want to look at you.

The Marquesa did promise...

No, no.

Not this time.

De Los Rios is coming.

You won't argue with him.

The Great Sage of Cantabria, wise

on every subject, informed on none.

Marcelino, please. Stop! Be serious.

Not a word. Unless he says

something very foolish.

Or should I say until? Yes, until.

Gentlemen, it is all ready for you.

Will be just a few more minutes.

Our ancestors lived

more than 10.000 years ago

in what is called the Old Stone Age

or Paleolithic Era.

We don't know the age

of our planet or when mankind...

Nonsense.

It has been calculated beyond a doubt

that the Earth is

eighteen million years old.

You can read it in my writings.

Calculated, yes,

beyond a doubt, no,

Seor De Los Rios

There are many who think

it may be a great deal older.

And as to the Origins of Man...

Doesn't the Bible tell us

what to think about Creation,

- Father Tomas?

- Yes, Doa Elena.

God created the World,

but Biblical time

cannot be reckoned like a calendar.

Thank you, Father Tomas.

- Time for some more music?

- Some music.

Everything we learned as children

is out of date.

New discoveries

are being made at such a rate

it's wise to keep an open mind.

An open mind is an empty mind.

And, to quote Plato, "an empty

vessel makes the most noise."

Who makes the most noise here?

Excuse me. What you said?

Dear friends,

I hope you will indulge a mother.

My daughter Maria Justina,

will play Iradier's Habanera

"La Paloma".

I can't bear performing children.

They're worse than trained monkeys.

Can I be sorry for my anger

and still be angry?

No, you can't.

- Then I don't want to confess it.

- That's naughty, Maria.

My dear, how are you?

Hello, Elena.

Take no notice of Seor De Los Rios.

I'm sure nobody else does.

What do you mean?

It's nothing.

Only he's telling everyone

that his quarrel with Don Marcelino

was the highpoint of the evening.

Monsieur Ratter.

Madame, this is an honor.

Good day.

This is my husband, Don Marcelino,

and our daughter, Maria.

It's in a poor state, isn't it?

Well, yes, it is.

You are truly an artist.

The colours are most impressive.

Maria.

You want to look at the carvings?

- Good day to you, sir.

- Good day.

I'll join you later.

It's so beautiful.

You know the trouble with anger?

It's a pistol that backfires.

It hurts you more

than the person you aim at.

Excuse me.

May I look?

- Is it Paleo...

- Paleolithic.

And it's perfect.

Making a cutting edge like this

requires of

a very sophisticated technique.

Thank you.

Please, where did you find it?

Good morning.

Modesto Cubillas.

You remember, sir?

I showed you the cave before.

Yes, indeed.

You found a way in...

No, it was the dog.

I'm hunting rabbits and he gets lost.

Then I search all over and then...

Woof, woof!

I pull back these brambles

and see the rocks have fallen in.

I put my head in and...

"Are you there?"

"Are you there?"

Up he jumps and licks my face, sir.

Let me see this.

Want to take a look?

Pedro, Nero, come here.

Widen the entrance a little more.

I would like to get in tomorrow.

Thank you, gentlemen.

Maria, let's go.

- Bye, Maria.

- Bye.

They were big animals.

The woolly mammoth

was bigger than an elephant,

the aurochs,

a cow like a cart horse.

Why?

It was very cold,

the end of the Ice Age.

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