In the previous article we discussed the events that led to the discovery of the famous, “Sistine Chapel of Prehistory,” the Lascaux Cave located near the town of Montignac in France, 80 years ago this month by a group of young boys looking for a dog. They were surprised to find that the hole the dog fell into was actually a shaft that entered a cave system covered in prehistoric wall and ceiling paintings. This extraordinary attraction was then opened to the public for a few short years before the traffic of excited visitors and researchers constantly moving through the space led to damage of the precious paintings. As a result, the caves have been closed to the public since the 1960s. Luckily, however, detailed drawings and reproductions of the works had been done by one of the initial visitors, the Abbé Henri Breuil, and then later the artist Monique Peytrial, who spent more than ten years copying the art in the cave. From 1983, replicas of the paintings called Lascaux II, III, and IV were created nearby with IV being an incredible museum utilising the best of multi-media exhibitions and technologies to tell the story of the caves. So, if you have found a vacation rental in Montignac and want to learn more about this extraordinary place, there are still plenty of options even if the caves themselves are closed.
There is a concentration of decorated prehistoric caves in France, with no fewer than 37 in the area around the village of Eyzies-de-Tayac Sireuil. The Lascaux Cave is, however, one of the most famous and best examples in the country and has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère Valley. There has been much debate over, and research into, the exact date of origin of the paintings Lascaux but they are now usually estimated to be around 17,000-years-old and to date to the early Magdalenian period. Over 600 parietal wall paintings cover the walls and ceilings and contain almost 6,000 figures, including animals, human figures, and abstract symbols and are located in spaces that have been named the Hall of the Bulls, the Passageway, the Shaft, the Nave, the Apse, and the Chamber of Felines. Of the 900 figures identified as animals, 605 have been identified, with 364 being equine creatures, 90 being stags, 4-5% of them being cattle, another 4-5% being bison, seven felines, a bird, a bear, a rhinoceros, and a human. Despite the fact that reindeer were a staple food for the inhabitants, they are not represented in the paintings.
With no images of surrounding landscapes, the figures have been painted in red, yellow, and black paints that were made from pigments like ochre, hematite, and goethite, and some charcoal, as well as other ingredients. Likely applied as a suspension of pigment in either animal fat or calcium-rich cave groundwater or clay to make a type of paint, it is thought that it was swabbed, blotted, and sprayed on through a tube rather than any sort of brush having been used.
Endlessly fascinating for even those with very little interest in history, these incredible paintings are, as noted, closed to the public in order to protect them. However, that does not mean that visitors cannot still experience these wonderful works for themselves today. If you have found a vacation rental in Montignac or a vacation rental in France and are interested in seeing the paintings, we suggest heading to Lascaux IV, also known as Le Centre International de l’Art Pariétal. This very special museum is a 8,500m2 exhibition space that boasts a complete replica of the Lascaux prehistoric cave, as well as six galleries that tell the story of the discovery, put Lascaux in the context of cave art across the globe, and discuss the contemporary interpretations of the paintings, making it the best place (after the caves themselves) to experience these works of art.
Le Centre International de l’Art Pariétal
Avenue de Lascaux, 24290 Montignac, France
+33 5 53 50 99 10
With no images of surrounding landscapes, the figures have been painted in red, yellow, and black paints that were made from pigments like ochre, hematite, and goethite, and some charcoal, as well as other ingredients. Likely applied as a suspension of pigment in either animal fat or calcium-rich cave groundwater or clay to make a type of paint, it is thought that it was swabbed, blotted, and sprayed on through a tube rather than any sort of brush having been used.
Endlessly fascinating for even those with very little interest in history, these incredible paintings are, as noted, closed to the public in order to protect them. However, that does not mean that visitors cannot still experience these wonderful works for themselves today. If you have found a vacation rental in Montignac or a vacation rental in France and are interested in seeing the paintings, we suggest heading to Lascaux IV, also known as Le Centre International de l’Art Pariétal. This very special museum is a 8,500m2 exhibition space that boasts a complete replica of the Lascaux prehistoric cave, as well as six galleries that tell the story of the discovery, put Lascaux in the context of cave art across the globe, and discuss the contemporary interpretations of the paintings, making it the best place (after the caves themselves) to experience these works of art.
Le Centre International de l’Art Pariétal
Avenue de Lascaux, 24290 Montignac, France
+33 5 53 50 99 10