In the Land of Temple Caves

In September 2001, when civilization seemed to have unraveled, author Turner undertook a quest for confirmation that art does matter, that it is the preeminent human expression of the life force--as necessary as air. This book goes back to the very beginning of art to assess anew its meanings in the long human story. Turner journeys to investigate sanctuaries in France and Spain that mythographer Joseph Campbell called "temple caves," the earliest known of which contains paintings more than 32,000 years old--works of art far more advanced than the hunting implements by which their creators lived. He ends his journey in Paris's St. Sulpice. In the caves and prehistoric shelters, along the valleys tracing the mighty rivers of the Ice Age, in a war-ravaged village, and in a city church far removed from the country of the caves, Turner finds resonant meaning.--From publisher description.