Cave painting representing an ibex. According to Leroi-Gourhan’s interpretation (1976), this animal appears frequently as “third element”, beside the horse/bison couple. It is possible that in those ancient times the animal was already associated with the characteristics (fecundity, sexual energy, nursing, familiarity with mountainous and inaccessible areas) that were attributed in later historic civilizations to the goat and the ram. Niaux cave, Ariège, France, about 15,000 years B.P.

[Image: http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/conservation/fr/grottes/Pageshtm/13731.htm]