Lascaux: MRA-FRA-Las005

The Lascaux cave is a Paleolithic site of the utmost archaeological and art historical interest, housing some of the best-preserved and most extensive collections of prehistoric painting. Many of the artworks on the cave walls are figural, and executed with surprising vigor and deftness. Among the animals faithfully depicted are horses, deer, bison, aurochs, and ibex. They are painted with a combination of local mineral pigments, and pigments whose only known sources are situated at several hundred kilometers’ distance. The cave walls are likewise inscribed with numerous carvings. The site was discovered accidentally in 1940 by four boys whose dog had fallen down a foxhole. After returning to investigate with lamps, the children reported their findings to a teacher, and excavations were quickly undertaken. The cave was opened to the public in the late 1940s, with catastrophic results; considerable biodegradation quickly ensued. At present, access to the original paintings is restricted to limit damage to the artworks. Visitors are instead invited to view precise replicas at Lascaux II, which opened in 1983.

Sources:

https://www.ancient.eu/Lascaux_Cave/

https://archeologie.culture.fr/lascaux/en

Further reading:

Bastian, F., Jurado, V., Nováková, A., Alabouvette, C., & Sáiz-Jiménez, C. (2010). The microbiology of Lascaux cave. Microbiology, 156(3), 644-652.

Bastian, F., & Alabouvette, C. (2009). Lights and shadows on the conservation of a rock art cave: the case of Lascaux Cave. International Journal of Speleology, 38(1), 55-60.

Chalmin, E., Menu, M., & Vignaud, C. (2003). Analysis of rock art painting and technology of Palaeolithic painters. Measurement Science and Technology, 14(9), 1590.