chauvet cave tour

The Chauvet-Pont d'Arc cave

Discovered on Sunday 18 December 1994 by Jean-Marie Chauvet, Éliette Brunel and Christian Hillaire during a private speleological exploration, the Chauvet-Pont d'Arc cave is one of the oldest decorated Palaeolithic caves in the world.

• archeologie.culture.fr

Salle Brunel - Sud

ARTS & CULTURE

Only a handful of people can enter the chauvet cave each year. our reporter was one of them..

A rare trip inside the home of the world’s most breathtaking cave painting leaves lasting memories

Joshua Hammer

Contributing writer

The entry into the depths of the Chauvet Cave, the world’s greatest repository of Palaeolithic art, begins with a dramatic ascent. A steep switchback trail through a forest brings one to the foot of a limestone cliff. From here a wood-plank walkway leads to a steel door. Behind it, sealed from outsiders by four secure locks- including a biometric lock accessible by only four conservators - lies a time capsule that remained hidden from the world for 35,000 years.

Ever since three amateur spelunkers, led by Jean-Marie Chauvet, crawled into the cave on December 18, 1994, and stumbled upon its remarkable trove of drawings and engravings, the government has sharply restricted access in order to preserve its fragile ecosystem. I had been as far as this entrance four months earlier, while researching a cover story about Chauvet for Smithsonian . Back then, I had to settle for entering the Caverne Pont D’Arc, a $60 million facsimile then under construction in a nearby concrete shed. But in April, in advance of the facsimile’s opening to the public, France’s Ministry of Culture invited me and three other journalists on a rare guided tour of the real Chauvet.

Marie Bardisa, Chauvet’s chief custodian, opened the steel door and we entered a cramped antechamber. Each of us slipped into the obligatory protective gear, including rubber shoes, a blue jumpsuit, a helmet mounted with a miner’s lamp, and rope harness fitted with two caribiners. Feelings of claustrophobia began to take hold of me as I crawled through a narrow rock passageway that ascended, curved, then descended, and finally stopped just before an abyss: a 50-foot drop to the grotto floor. A permanent ladder is now in place here. Bardisa’s assistant clipped our caribiners to a fixed line and we descended, one by one, into the darkness. 

All these precautions are in place to protect the cave itself and avoid repeating what happened to the famous Lescaux caves, where bacteria and decay have ruined the cave art. As I wrote in my Smithsonian feature :

The cave’s undoing came after the French Ministry of Culture opened it to the public in 1948: Visitors by the thousands rushed in, destroying the fragile atmospheric equilibrium. A green slime of bacteria, fungi and algae formed on the walls; white-crystal deposits coated the frescoes. In 1963 alarmed officials sealed the cave and limited entry to scientists and other experts. But an irreversible cycle of decay had begun. Spreading fungus lesions—which cannot be removed without causing further damage—now cover many of the paintings. Moisture has washed away pigments and turned the white calcite walls a dull gray. In 2010, when then French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, toured the site on the 70th anniversary of its discovery, Laurence Léauté-Beasley, president of a committee that campaigns for the cave’s preservation, called the visit a “funeral service for Lascaux.”

At Chauvet, however, Just 200 scientific researchers and conservators are permitted inside each year. Bardisa says that as long as they stringently restrict access and closely monitor the cave, it can continue in its present state for the foreseeable future.

Because I had already toured the facsimile in December, I thought I would have some idea of what to expect. But nothing could have prepared me for Chauvet’s vastness and variety. (The Caverne Pont d’Arc has been shrunk to one third of the real cave’s 8,500 square meters.) The lamp on my miner’s helmet, along with a seepage of natural light, illuminated a cathedral-like gallery that soared at least six stories high. As we trod along a stainless-steel walkway that retraced the original explorers’ path – warned by Bardisa not to touch anything and remain on the walkway at all times - I stared at an extraordinary panoply of colors, shapes and textures.

White, purple, blue, and pink calcite deposits –formed over eons by water seeping through the limestone - suspended from the sloping ceiling like dripping candle wax. Multi-armed stalagmites rose from the floor like saguro cacti. Others poked up like sprouting phalluses. There were bulbous formations as elaborate as frosted, multi-tiered wedding cakes, clusters of dagger-like stalactites that seemed ready to drop off and impale at us any moment.

Some limestone walls were dull and matted, while others shone and glinted with what seemed like mica. The floors alternated between calcified stone and soft sand, embedded with the paw prints of prehistoric bears, ibexes and other animals. The prints in the soft ground, frozen in place for 35,000 years, could be destroyed by a simple touch, Bardisa warned. And everywhere lay remnants of the beasts that had shared this cave with human beings: bear and ibex skulls, little white islands of bear bones, the droppings of a wolf.

The natural concretions were splendid, but it was, of course, the drawings that we had come to see. The presence of Palaeolithic man revealed itself slowly, as if these ancient cave artists had an intuitive sense of drama and pacing. In a corner of the first gallery, Bardisa pointed out the tableau that had mesmerized the French cave-art expert Jean Clottes when he entered here in late December 1994 to authenticate the discovery:  a grid of red dots covering a wall, created, as Clottes would determine, by an artist dabbing his palms in ocher then pressing them against the limestone. Clottes developed a theory that these early cave artists were prehistoric shamans, who attempted to communicate with the animal spirits by drawing them out of the rock with their touch.

We continued along the metal walkway, slightly elevated off the soft ground, following a sloping course through the second room, containing another large panel covered with palm prints and, here and there, small, crude drawings of woolly mammoths, easily missed. Indeed, Eliette Brunel, the first to enter the cave, had noticed none of these paintings on her first walk through. It was in a passageway between the second and third galleries that Brunel had caught sight of a small, smudged pair of ocher lines drawn on the wall to her right at eye level.

“They have been here,” she cried out to her companions. Over the next few hours, she, Chauvet and Hillaire moved from gallery to gallery, as we were doing now, staring in amazement as the representations of ice age beasts became more numerous and more sophisticated.

Kneeling down in the third chamber, I set eyes on a long panel of rhinoceroses at waist level. Then came a panel of white engravings – the first artwork we had seen that was not created using ocher paint.  Made by tracing the fingers over the soft limestone, or by using crude tools, the etchings included a profile of a horse that seemed almost Picasso-esque in its swirling abstraction.  “You can see it springing. It’s magnificent,” Bardisa told us. I had to agree.

A final passageway, hemmed in by sloping walls, brought us to the End Chamber.

The prehistoric artists, creeping into the cave’s hidden recesses with their torches, had obviously deemed this gallery the heart of the spirit world. Many visitors, including the filmmaker Werner Herzog, the director of the Chauvet documentary Cave of Forgotten Dreams , had marveled at the paintings contained in this last gallery – perhaps the fullest realization of Paleolithic man’s imagination. Here, the artists had changed their palette from ocher to charcoal, and the simply outlined drawings had evolved into richly shaded, torqued, three-dimensional creatures, marvels of action and perspective. Across one 12-foot slab of limestone, lions captured in individualized profile stalked their prey –a menagerie of bisons, rhinos, antelopes, mammoths, all drawn with immeasurable skill and confidence.

After admiring this crowded canvas, we retraced our steps through the cave.  I hadn’t been able to take photographs and had found it too awkward to scribble my thoughts in a notebook, but I retained a vivid memory of every moment of the two hours that I had been permitted to explore Chauvet. I climbed back up the ladder and removed my protective gear, punched the exit button and stepped into the bright sunlight.  

As I made my way down the pathway to a parking lot far below, my mind still reeled with the images that had sprung dreamlike out of the darkness- as vibrant and beautiful as they had been when our distant ancestors first painted them on Chauvet’s limestone walls.

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Joshua Hammer | READ MORE

Joshua Hammer is a contributing writer to Smithsonian magazine and the author of several books, including The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu: And Their Race to Save the World's Most Precious Manuscripts and The Falcon Thief: A True Tale of Adventure, Treachery, and the Hunt for the Perfect Bird .

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Chauvet 2 Cave

Journey back 36,000 years, to the origins of art..

Chauvet Cave was discovered in 1994 and is a cave covered in prehistoric drawings, over 36,000 years old.

There are 425 drawings and paintings, including exceptional representations of animals (twice as old as those in Lascaux!), Chauvet Cave is actually the most ancient example of art in the whole of Humanity .

In 2014, it was listed as a Worldwide Heritage site by UNESCO .

Chauvet 2, the replica

It’s important to know that it’s not the real cave that you’re going to visit, but an exact copy.

The original cave is now closed to the public (for obvious conservation reasons).

So that everyone can still discover the superb artwork, Chauvet 2 Cave was created.

The representations, walls and floors, ceilings and archaeological remains of the original cave have been reproduced as an identical copy.

Practical information

The cave can be found in Vallon-Pont-d’Arc. It is open every day, all year round .

Ticket price: Adults: from €17 Young people (10 to 17 years old):  €8.50 Children under 10: free Annual pass: €25 / year

With your entrance ticket, you have access to the guided tour of Chauvet 2 Cave (approx. 1 hour), and also a self-guided tour of the Aurignacien Gallery , a fun and interactive area to find out about the prehistoric men who drew on the walls of Chauvet Cave and how they lived. Altogether, you will need half a day there.

The Aurignacien Gallery

But who were our prehistoric ancestors? Where did they come from? How did they live? After seeing Chauvet 2 Cave with your own eyes, come and learn all about it. At the The Aurignacien Gallery you can learn all about these men and women who lived 360 centuries ago, and have fun at the same time.

Take a stroll through the recreation of the steppes, where you will encounter the terrifying cave lion, the impressive Irish elk or even the woolly mammoth.

You will find out all about the environment and the wildlife which surrounded our closest homo-sapien ancestors.

Immersive films, touch screens, themed areas, workshops and entertainment for children during the school holidays.

Take advantage of the search to browse through the World Heritage Centre information.

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Unesco social media, decorated cave of pont d’arc, known as grotte chauvet-pont d’arc, ardèche.

• Description

Located in a limestone plateau of the Ardèche River in southern France, the property contains the earliest-known and best-preserved figurative drawings in the world, dating back as early as the Aurignacian period (30,000–32,000 BP), making it an exceptional testimony of prehistoric art. The cave was closed off by a rock fall approximately 20,000 years BP and remained sealed until its discovery in 1994, which helped to keep it in pristine condition. Over 1,000 images have so far been inventoried on its walls, combining a variety of anthropomorphic and animal motifs. Of exceptional aesthetic quality, they demonstrate a range of techniques including the skilful use of shading, combinations of paint and engraving, anatomical precision, three-dimensionality and movement. They include several dangerous animal species difficult to observe at that time, such as mammoth, bear, cave lion, rhino, bison and auroch, as well as 4,000 inventoried remains of prehistoric fauna and a variety of human footprints.

Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0

Grotte ornée du Pont-d’Arc, dite Grotte Chauvet-Pont-d’Arc, Ardèche

Située dans un plateau calcaire traversé par les méandres de la rivière Ardèche, au sud de la France, la grotte recèle les plus anciennes peintures connues à ce jour (période de l’aurignacien : entre 30 000 et 32 000 av. J.-C.). Cette grotte exceptionnelle qui témoigne de l’art préhistorique a été fermée par un éboulement il y a environ 20 000 ans BP et elle est restée scellée jusqu’à sa redécouverte en 1994, ce qui a permis de la conserver de façon exceptionnelle. Plus de 1 000 peintures, aux motifs anthropomorphes ou animaliers, ont été inventoriées sur ses murs. Leur qualité esthétique exceptionnelle témoigne d’une large gamme de techniques, notamment la maîtrise de l'estompe, la combinaison peinture-gravure, la précision anatomique, la représentation tridimensionnelle et du mouvement. On y trouve notamment des représentations d’espèces dangereuses, difficiles à observer pour les hommes de l’époque (mammouths, ours, lions des cavernes, rhinocéros, bisons, aurochs), plus de 4 000 restes de la faune du paléolithique et diverses empreintes de pas humains.

Gruta ornamentada de Pont d’Arc, denominada Gruta Chauvet-Pont d’Arc (Departamento del Ardèche, Francia)

En este sitio, situado al sur de Francia, en una meseta calcárea del río Ardèche, se hallan los dibujos figurativos más antiguos y mejor conservados del mundo. Realizados en el Periodo Auriñaciense (esto es, entre 30.000 y 32.000 años atrás), estos dibujos constituyen un testimonio excepcional del arte prehistórico. Hace unos 20.000 años, un desprendimiento de rocas cerró herméticamente la entrada de la gruta hasta su hallazgo en 1994, lo cual permitió que se conservara en su estado primigenio. Hasta la fecha se han podido catalogar más de 1.000 imágenes pintadas en sus paredes con una gran variedad de motivos animales y antropomórficos. Su calidad estética es excepcional y su ejecución pone de manifiesto el dominio de toda una serie de técnicas: pericia en el uso de los colores, combinación de la pintura y el grabado, precisión anatómica, tridimensionalidad y sentido del movimiento. Las imágenes muestran diversas especies animales peligrosas y difíciles de observar en esa época (mamuts, osos, gatos monteses, rinocerontes, bisontes y uros), y también se han hallado unos 4.000 restos catalogados de fauna prehistórica y un variado conjunto de huellas humanas.

source: UNESCO/CPE Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0

アルデッシュ　ショーヴェ・ポンダルク洞窟壁画

source: NFUAJ

Beschilderde grot van Pont d'Arc (Grotte Chauvet-Pont d'Arc), Ardèche

De beschilderde grot van Pont d'Arc – bekend als Grotte Chauvet-Pont d'Arc – ligt in een kalkstenen plateau van de rivier de Ardèche in Zuid-Frankrijk. De grot bevat de vroegst bekende en best bewaarde figuratieve tekeningen ter wereld, daterend uit het Aurignacien (30.000 tot 32.000 voor Christus). Daarmee is het een bijzonder voorbeeld van prehistorische kunst. Ongeveer 20.000 jaar voor Christus werd de grot afgesloten door een vallende steen en bleef verzegeld tot de ontdekking ervan in 1994. Hierdoor bleef de grot in ongerepte staat. Tot nu toe zijn er op de muren meer dan 1000 afbeeldingen ontdekt die antropomorfe en dierlijke motieven met elkaar verbinden. Ze zijn van buitengewone esthetische kwaliteit en tonen diverse technieken waaronder kundig kleurgebruik, het combineren van verf en gravure, anatomische precisie, driedimensionaliteit en beweging. De grotschilderingen tonen verschillende gevaarlijke diersoorten die in die tijd moeilijk waar te nemen waren, zoals mammoeten, beren, wilde katten, neushoorns, bizons en oerossen. In de grot vond men ook 4000 overblijfselen van prehistorische fauna en diverse menselijke voetafdrukken.

Source: unesco.nl

Outstanding Universal Value

Brief synthesis 

The decorated cave of Pont d’Arc, known as Grotte Chauvet-Pont d’Arc is located in a limestone plateau of the meandering Ardèche River in southern France, and extends to an area of approximately 8,500 square meters. It contains the earliest known pictorial drawings, carbon-dated to as early as the Aurignacian period (30,000 to 32,000 BP). The cave was closed off by a rock fall approximately 20,000 years BP and remained sealed until its rediscovery in 1994. It contains more than 1,000 drawings, predominantly of animals, including several dangerous species, as well as a large number of archaeological and Palaeolithic vestiges.  

The cave contains the best-preserved expressions of artistic creation of the Aurignacian people, constituting an exceptional testimony of prehistoric cave art. In addition to the anthropomorphic depictions, the zoomorphic drawings illustrate an unusual selection of animals, which were difficult to observe or approach at the time. Some of these are uniquely illustrated in Grotte Chauvet. As a result of the extremely stable interior climate over millennia, as well as the absence of natural damaging processes, the drawings and paintings have been preserved in a pristine state of conservation and in exceptional completeness.  

Criterion (i): The decorated cave of Pont d’Arc, known as Grotte Chauvet-Pont d’Arc contains the first known expressions of human artistic genius and more than 1,000 drawings of anthropomorphic and zoomorphic motifs of exceptional aesthetic quality have been inventoried. These form a remarkable expression of early human artistic creation of grand excellence and variety, both in motifs and in techniques. The artistic quality is underlined by the skilful use of colours, combinations of paint and engravings, the precision in anatomical representation and the ability to give an impression of volumes and movements.  

Criterion (iii): The decorated cave of Pont d’Arc, known as Grotte Chauvet-Pont d’Arc bears a unique and exceptionally well-preserved testimony to the cultural and artistic tradition of the Aurignacian people and to the early development of creative human activity in general. The cave’s seclusion for more than 20 millennia has transmitted an unparalleled testimony of early Aurignacian art, free of post-Aurignacian human intervention or disturbances. The archaeological and paleontological evidence in the cave illustrates like no other cave of the Early Upper Palaeolithic period, the frequentation of caves for cultural and ritual practices.  

The nominated property comprises the entire subterranean space of the cave of approximately 8,500 square meters and all structurally relevant parts of the limestone plateau above the cave as well as its entrance situation and immediate surroundings. These spaces contain all the attributes of Outstanding Universal Value and the property is of adequate size. Strict preventive conservation policies including access restrictions have allowed for the maintenance of an almost identical situation to the time of discovery. These access restrictions and the continuous monitoring of the climatic conditions will be key factors for the preservation of integrity of the property and for averting potential dangers of human impact.  

Authenticity

The authenticity of the property can be demonstrated by its pristine condition and state of conservation, having been sealed off for 23,000 years and carefully treated and access-restricted since its rediscovery. The dating of the finds and drawings has been confirmed by C14 analysis as between 32,000 and 30,000 years BP, and the materials, designs, drawing techniques and traces of workmanship date back to this time. The rock art as well as the archaeological and paleontological vestiges are free of human impact or alterations. The only modification is the installation of completely-reversible, stainless steel bridging elements to allow for access to parts of the cave whilst preventing disturbance of floor traces or finds.  

Protection and management requirements

The decorated cave of Pont d’Arc, known as Grotte Chauvet-Pont d’Arc is protected at the highest national level as a historic monument. Likewise, the buffer zone benefits from the highest level of national protection since early 2013. The buffer zone accordingly will not permit future development.  

The focus of management is the implementation of a preventive conservation strategy based on constant monitoring and non-intervention. Several monitoring systems have been installed in the cave which form an integral part of these preventive conservation efforts. Any changes in relative humidity and/or the air composition inside the cave may have severe effects on the condition of the drawings and paintings. It is due to this risk that the cave will not be open to the general public, but also that future visits of experts, researchers and conservators will need to be restricted to the absolute minimum necessary. Despite the delicateness of paintings and drawings, no conservation activities have been carried out in the cave and it is intended to retain all paintings and drawings in the fragile but pristine condition in which they were discovered.  

The management authorities have implemented a management plan (2012-16), based on strategic objectives, activity fields and concrete actions, which are planned with time frames, institutional responsibilities, budget requirements and quality assurance indicators. The latter will allow for full quality assurance after the cycle of implementation in 2016, following which the management plan will have to be revised for future management processes.  

After it became clear that the cave would never be accessible to the general public, the idea of a facsimile reconstruction to provide interpretation and presentation facilities emerged. The Grand Projet Espace de Restitution de la Grotte Chauvet (ERGC) was established, with the aim of creating a facsimile reconstruction of the cave with its paintings and drawings, and a discovery and interpretation area to attract visitors.

• La Grotte Chauvet 2 (in French)
• Explore the Cave

Virtual Tour: Chauvet-Pont d’Arc Cave

Some of the most spectacular examples of prehistoric artwork cannot be found in a museum. Instead, you need to visit a place like Ardèche in Southern France to view some of the best preserved cave paintings in history—and best of all, you can explore this cave from the comfort of your home. The cave contains hundreds of paintings of animals and other figures, as well as fossilized remains and evidence of early human life.

Some of the highlights of the Chauvet-Pont d’Arc Cave virtual tour include:

Bison of the Pillar: Two bison drawn in black and then engraved. See how the lower bison has been partially erased? This is due to the passage of bears through the cave, slowly rubbing off the painting over time.

Panel of the Positive Hand Prints : Most children have made handprint art in school—well these handprints are thousands of years old, left behind alongside engravings and drawings of 50 different animal species.

The Cactus Gallery: One of the more intriguing elements of the cave developed after its human and animal inhabitants’ time—these striking white calcite deposits from the Holocene Era offer some dramatic visuals unseen by the Paleolithic humans who created the paintings.

Skull Chamber: A spooky name for one of the most riveting chambers in the exhibit. The Skull Chamber has many areas to explore beyond the bear skull that provides its name.

Curious to learn more about humans in prehistoric France? Visit the cave yourself and share what you find.

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Grotte Chauvet 2 Ardèche

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Grotte Chauvet: Journey through time with France’s oldest cave paintings

• Post category: Auvergne Rhône Alpes
• Post author: Nassie Angadi

One of the greatest cultural treasures in the world is located in the heart of department of Ardèche, in the center of France.

Known as Grotte Chauvet (Cave Chauvet), it is a cave network which is famous for having some of the earliest known Palaeolithic human cave paintings. Dating back about 28,000 – 32,000 years old, these are among the oldest in the world.

A cave complex near the village of Vallon-Pont-d’Arc, it was discovered on December 18, 1994 after a group of cavers entered the cave and noticed everything from handprints, engravings, and drawings of a variety of animals on the walls of the cave.

Located within a couple of hours of the cities of Lyon , Avignon , and Valence in the Rhône Alps region, the Chauvet-Pont-d’Arc Cave complex is truly one of the most spectacular archeological and anthropological sites in existence.

Today, it is officially recognized on the UNESCO world heritage list . And it is one of the most popular tourist attractions in France .

There are several panels with some of the earliest known figurative drawings, making it one of the most important prehistoric art sites in the world. These spectacular images were created by prehistoric humans, or Homo sapiens, as they roamed the European continent.

Its discovery on December 18, 1994, by three spelunkers, Jean-Marie Chauvet, Eliette Brunel-Deschamps, and Christian Hillaire made headlines around the world.

Now, if you do look for it, you might notice that it is called “Grotte Chauvet 2”, and not just “Grotte Chauvet”. That is because the actual cave is too fragile to allow visitors.

Grotte Chauvet 2 is an exact replica of the original cave that has been built to educate visitors about life in the Paleolithic era. If you look on Google Maps or on your GPS, you will see both locations, with one of them marked as “not accessible”.

So is Grotte Chauvet 2 actually worth the visit, if it is not the original? Let’s find out more, shall we? Allons-y!

3. Other Animations

Why the original grotte chauvet is not open to tourists.

In order to understand why the original Grotte Chauvet is not open to the public, we have to reference another famous set of prehistoric cave paintings in France,  la Grotte de Lascaux .

The Lascaux cave was discovered in 1940 by four teenagers near the town of Montignac, in Dordogne, France. With paintings dating back to 17,000 years , it was visited by millions of visitors, before being closed to the public in 1963. But an irreversible cycle of decay had begun.

Fungus, which cannot be removed, now covers many of the paintings at Lascaux. The carbon dioxide caused by the breath of the tourists caused the additional moisture, which has now washed away many of the pigments and turned the walls grey. 

A celebration meant for the 70th anniversary of the discovery of the Grotte de la Lascaux, was likened to a “funeral service”.

And this is why when Grotte Chauvet was discovered in 1994, French authorities immediately swooped in to protect the cave. Especially since the Chauvet cave paintings are estimated to be almost twice as old as Lascaux, at 32,000 years old.

(When another cave called Grotte Cosquer in Marseille was found in 1991, access was also immediately limited.)

What to see at Grotte Chauvet 2

The original Chauvet cave is located along the Gorges de l’Ardèche , while the replica Grotte Chauvet 2 is located around 6miles (10km) away in a rather modern complex.

Along with the cave itself, there are several other things to visit around the exhibition.

1. Inside Chauvet Cave 2

The Grotte Chauvet 2 is also considered quite fragile, and is also only visitable in small guided tours. Photos are not allowed inside the cave.

Inside, you will see tens of small animal paintings, depicting at least 13 different species. There is everything from horses, lions, leapards, and rhinos to mammoths, etc. and other animals from the prehistoric era.

There are also palm and handprints, attesting to the intelligence of those earliest homo-sapiens. Of note is a particular handprint with a crooked finger, who by all accounts was quite the artist as his/her work can be identified in several areas of the cave.

Many of the animals have been sketched and carved as if in motion, showing the artists’ keen sense of observation and acuity. The age of the original cave paintings is based on over 80 radiocarbon samples taken for dating, indicating that some of the paintings date back to 35-30,000 years.

The cave is named after one of the explorers, Jean-Marie Chauvet, but that also is not without controversy. The original hole entrance to the cave was found by a man named Michael Rosa (known as “Baba”) and became known as Le Trou de Baba , or Baba’s Hole.

According to reports , a decision was made to come back later, when Chauvet came back without him. In the end, it would be Chauvet who had his name attached to one of the world’s greatest treasures, while Michael Rosa remains quite unknown.

2. Aurignacian Gallery

In addition to the main cave, there is also an educational exhibition called the Aurignacian Gallery.

With life-size models of the earliest humans as well as ice age creatures like the wooly mammoth, there are several knowledge panels for visitors to read and explore.

The exhibition indicates it should take around an 1 hour to get through the exhibit, although if you go with small children who can’t read (like I did), it will be much quicker!

If you visit during the summer tourist season, you will find several knowledgeable guides around the Grotte Chauvet 2 complex.

Displaying replica artifacts of human tools, the guides discuss at length what life was like in the Paleolithic and Stone Age era.

What they ate, how they hunted, what they wore, etc., the guides give plenty of insight on what it must have been like for those cave artists.

Preparation tips for your visit

The cave at Grotte Chauvet 2 is kept at cool temperatures, to replicate the original as much as possible. A light sweater or jacket is recommended, especially for small children.

Access to the cave is based on timed-entry, so it is important to be there on time. If you do arrive too early, you can visit the other animations and the Aurignacian Gallery beforehand. (The Aurignacian Gallery takes around 45 minutes so plan accordingly.)

It is around a 5-10 minute walk uphill towards the entrance of the premises to the building entrance, depending on if you are heading over with strollers and small children, etc.

Tickets cost around €17/adult and €8.50/child over 10 years old. Children under 10 are free. Most of the Grotte Chauvet 2 complex is quite accessible for strollers and wheelchairs, but it can get crowded.

Pont d’Arc and other sights nearby

Located about 600 yards (550m) away from the original Chauvet Cave, is the Pont d’Arc, a natural bridge created by the water flows of the Ardèche river flowing through the Gorges de l’Ardèche.

It is about 6 miles (10 km) away from the replica at Grotte Chauvet 2, and a popular destination for bathers, kayakers, and hikers who wish the enjoy a bit of nature.

The natural arch of the Pont d’Arc was formed around 124,000 years ago, by the effect of erosion in the limestone rock. Given the many decorated caves in this area, it is thought that this natural bridge would have frequented by homosapiens (also known as Cro-Magnon or Aurignacian) since at least the Paleolithic era.

It is known to have served part of the Romaine d’Antonin , an old Roman road in the 2nd century that connected the old Roman cities of Nîmes and Valence.

In addition, the Grotte Chauvet 2 is relatively close by to another famous cave in the area, the Grotte de Choranche . The large cities of Lyon, Grenoble , and Vienne are also easily accessible, so you can easily make the trip to visit there as well.

How to get to Grotte Chauvet 2?

The Grotte Chauvet 2 is only accessible by car, with the closest train station in the nearby town of Pierrelatte about 20 miles (33km) away.

If you are  driving , one thing to play close attention to is that you should program “Grotte Chauvet 2” on your GPS. Both will show up on your GPS, and they are not within walkable distance, so you really want to be sure to program the address of the correct one.

How long does the visit take?

The guided tour inside the Chauvet cave takes about 1 hour. However, plan to arrive at least 15 minutes in advance from the parking lot to pass through the entrance, and to the actual cave entrance to be on time with your tour guide.

In addition, the Aurignacian Gallery should take about 45min-1 hour to visit. There are also often animations by knowledgeable guides in the park area discussing human life in that era, so you will want to keep that in mind as well, during your planning.

If you enjoyed that article, you may like to read more about traveling around the region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alps . A bientôt!

¹ Featured Images and Cave images: © Patrick Aventurier – Grotte Chauvet 2 Ardèche

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Decorated Caves of the Pyrenees & the Rhone Valley

Tour Dates: April 18-29, 2024 (12 days)

Tour Leader(s): Ian Tattersall ,

Download the full brochure for details

For more information on this tour, or to make reservations, contact us at 800-748-6262, [email protected] or reserve your space online .

Discover a collection of magnificent but largely unheralded examples of Ice Age art while in the company of acclaimed paleoanthropologist and popular trip leader Ian Tattersall. Admire unusual, elegant bas-relief animal images in Basque caves, a profusion of hand prints at Gargas, and the famous panels of line-drawn and subtly shaded bison, horse, and ibex at Niaux. Visit the recently opened Cosquer Méditerranée, a replica of a heavily decorated, now submerged, prehistoric cave that was discovered in 1985. The trip concludes with a visit to the spectacular Chauvet Cave replica at Vallon-Pont-d’Arc, which expertly re-creates the earliest, and perhaps most impressive, of the many masterpieces of Ice Age art dated to some 35,000 years ago. Enjoy fine food and delightful accommodations while an expert tour manager handles all the logistics.

“Ian Tattersall provided his astonishing expertise on the cave art, the Upper Paleolithic, and human evolution in general to make the entire tour an incredibly enlightening educational experience.” – Thomas, Texas

“Ian’s commentary and overall presence could not have been more engaging. He was both an archaeological authority and an excellent traveling companion.” – Richard, New York

Tour Pricing (10 nights)

Per person, double occupancy

13-16 participants $9,645 10-12 participants $10,395 Single Supplement $1,045

Single room supplement will be charged when requested or required (limited availability). With fewer than 10 participants, a small group surcharge may be added.

To reserve your space using the online form, click here.

For reservations or questions, please email us at  [email protected] (and include your full name) or call us toll-free at (800) 748-6262 (toll: 603-756-2884).

Paintings of bison from the Salon Noir of Niaux cave. ©HTO

The entrance to Isturitz cave. © Krijun.

The Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain. © Nicolas Vigier.

The Ekainberri panel of horses, Spain. © Zaidiak.

Cosquer Mediterranee © KRossillon

Tautavel Man is a proposed subspecies of the hominid Homo erectus . Image © Rémih.

Painting of a Rhinoceros in the Chauvet-Pont-d'Arc Cave, France. © Inocybe

A charcoal drawing from Chauvet-Pont-d'Arc Cave, France. © Claude Valette

Thursday, April 18, 2024: Home | Bilbao, Spain

Friday, April 19: Bilbao | Welcome dinner

Saturday, April 20: Covalanas Cave | Ramales | El Pendo Cave | Bilbao

Sunday, April 21: Ekainberri | San Sebastián | Ainhoa, France

Monday, April 22: Isturitz and Oxocelhaya Caves | Bayonne | Ainhoa

Tuesday, April 23: Gargas Cave | Sauveterre-de-Comminges

Wednesday, April 24: Aurignac | Aurignacian Museum | Bédeilhac Cave | Tarascon-sur-Ariège

Thursday, April 25: Niaux Cave | Parc de la Préhistoire | PM at leisure

Friday, April 26: Arago Cave | Tautavel | Narbonne

Saturday, April 27: Marseille: Cosquer Méditerranée

Sunday, April 28: Chauvet Cave replica | Lyon | Farewell dinner

Monday, April 29: Fly home

View Detailed Itinerary

(B)= Breakfast, (L)= Lunch, (D)= Dinner

Thursday, April 18, 2024: Home | Bilbao, Spain Depart home on independent flights to Bilbao, Spain.

Friday, April 19: Bilbao | Welcome dinner Arrive at Bilbao airport (BIO) and transfer as a group (time TBD) to the Gran Hotel Domine , situated in the heart of this thriving city. This afternoon, admire both the architecture and the permanent collection of the spectacular Guggenheim Museum during a guided tour. Gather later at the hotel for a welcome drink and dinner. Overnight at the 5-star Gran Hotel Domine for two nights . (D)

Saturday, April 20: Covalanas Cave | Ramales | El Pendo Cave | Bilbao After breakfast, drive to Covalanas Cave with its extraordinary collection of animal images. After an independent lunch in nearby Ramales, continue to El Pendo Cave, with its nearly 30-foot-long panel of painted figures. Dinner is at leisure in Bilbao. (B)

Sunday, April 21: Ekainberri | San Sebastián | Ainhoa, France Check out of our hotel and head towards France, stopping first at the Ekainberri replica (of Ekain Cave) with its famous panels of horses, the originals dating from the Magdalenian period. Continue to the elegant Basque city of San Sebastián, situated on the Bay of Biscay. Enjoy a guided tour of the town and savor an independent lunch before moving on to Ainhoa. Gather in the evening for dinner. Overnight at the 3-star Hotel Ithurria for two nights . (B,D)

Monday, April 22: Isturitz and Oxocelhaya Caves | Bayonne | Ainhoa This morning, visit the caves of Isturitz and Oxocelhaya with their bas-relief sculptures and concretions. Stop for an independent lunch followed by a guided tour of Bayonne (famous for its cathedral, as well as the ham and chocolate that it produces). Return to our hotel in Ainhoa for dinner. (B,D)

Tuesday, April 23: Gargas Cave | Sauveterre-de-Comminges Check out of our hotel and drive towards Gargas. After a group lunch, we visit Gargas, one of the finest caves in the Pyrenees, known for its collection of more than 200 stenciled hand prints, many of which are mysteriously incomplete. Continue on to our hotel in Sauveterre-de-Comminges, where we check in and then gather for dinner. Overnight at the 4-star Hôtel du Barry Resort & Spa . (B,L,D)

Wednesday, April 24: Aurignac | Aurignacian Museum | Bédeilhac Cave | Tarascon-sur-Ariège This morning we check out of our hotel and drive to Aurignac to visit the rock shelter of Aurignac and the Aurignacian Museum, which illuminates the lives of the anatomically modern humans who lived in Europe about 36,000 years ago. After lunch we drive a short distance to the cave of Bédeilhac, famous for its vast entrance (used as an aircraft maintenance facility in World War II) and which was decorated in the Middle Magdalenian (ca. 14,000 years ago). Check in to Le Manoir d’Agnes , a 200-year-old French chateau in Tarascon-sur-Ariège, and gather for dinner in the restaurant next to our hotel. Overnight at the 3-star Le Manoir d’Agnes for two nights . (B,L,D)

Thursday, April 25: Niaux Cave | Parc de la Préhistoire | PM at leisure This morning we will visit the cave of Niaux, regarded as one of the most impressive in Europe for its spectacular and well-preserved wall paintings from 14,000 years ago, most of which are found in its “Salon Noir,” situated some 800 meters from the cave entrance. We will have lunch in the village of Niaux before continuing on to the Parc de la Préhistoire for an overview of the area’s prehistory through its museum and numerous reconstructions and demonstrations. Return to our hotel for an evening at leisure. (B,L)

Friday, April 26: Arago Cave | Tautavel | Narbonne Check out of our hotel and drive to the Arago Cave, situated just outside the village of Tautavel and famous for the discovery of “Tautavel Man,” some of the most significant hominid remains ever found in Europe. After an independent lunch and, time permitting, a quick tasting of the local wine, visit the small but impressive museum in Tautavel before driving to our hotel in Narbonne. The balance of the day is at leisure. Overnight at the 4-star Hotel Le Mosaique . (B)

Saturday, April 27: Marseille: Cosquer Méditerranée After breakfast we drive to Marseille, where we check-in to our hotel and have lunch. This afternoon we visit the inventive replica of Cosquer Cave, Cosquer Méditerranée, a submerged prehistoric cave that has been referred to as an “underwater Lascaux.” The original cave, found in 1985, contains approximately 500 Paleolithic paintings, engravings, and drawings, and is only accessible by deep sea divers as the entrance is more than 98 feet below sea level off the coast of Marseille. The building containing the exact replica opened to the public in June 2022 and has three floors, one of which is an “underwater” replica of the cave that guests tour via exploratory vehicles. Return to our hotel for the balance of the day at leisure. Overnight at the 5-star Hotel InterContinental du Dieu . (B,L)

Sunday, April 28: Chauvet Cave replica | Lyon | Farewell dinner Check out of our hotel and drive north to what may be the highlight of our journey: the spectacular replica of Chauvet Cave, Pont-d’Arc Cavern, including a reproduction of its delicately shaded horses. Chauvet is one of the most famous decorated caves in the world and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After an independent lunch on site, drive to Lyon. Tonight we gather for a farewell dinner. Overnight at the 5-star Le Royal Hotel Lyon . (B,D)

Monday, April 29: Fly home Transfer this morning to the Lyon airport (LYS) for flights home. (B)

Download the full brochure

For reservations or questions, please email us at  [email protected] (and include your full name) or call us toll-free at (800) 748-6262 (toll: 603-756-2884). To reserve your space using the online form, click here.

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The Chauvet cave, a treasure from the depths of the centuries

It is a treasure from the depths of the centuries, a marvel like you can count on the fingers of one hand. The Chauvet cave and its many ornate drawings are one of those heritage gems that must be preserved .

As soon as it was discovered in 1994, measures were taken to ensure its conservation, but to show the beauty of the cave to the general public, a replica was created, a faithful copy that allows everyone to marvel at this masterpiece of prehistoric art that has nothing to envy to Picasso!

How was the Chauvet cave discovered? When was it discovered? Can we visit it? What can you see? This article provides an update.

The story of the discovery of the Chauvet cave

On the afternoon of 18 December 1994, Jean-Marie Chauvet, Éliette Brunel and Christian Hillaire , three speleology enthusiasts, examined a cliff in the Ardèche, a few hundred metres from the famous Pont d’Arc. Their exploration led to a “blowhole”, i.e. a trickle of air escaping from a wall, indicating that there was a cavity behind it.

After clearing an entrance, they discovered a well some ten metres deep and returned in the evening equipped with a ladder to descend into the cave, an immense cavity that extends over an area equal to almost three football pitches. Eliette Brunel quickly noticed two lines drawn in red ochre on a wall and immediately understood that prehistoric men had been here. A surprise that has only just begun as they prepare to discover the many drawings that have survived the centuries!

Why does the Chauvet cave bear this name?

Jean-Marie Chauvet, Éliette Brunel and Christian Hillaire are considered to be the “inventors” of the cave since they are the ones who discovered it. But since only one name had to be chosen, the three friends chose Chauvet, Jean-Marie Chauvet being the one who insisted on going to explore this area of the Ardèche on the morning of 18 December 1994.

Ten days later, the DRAC (Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs) was informed of the discovery and commissioned an expert report from Jean Clottes, Jean-Pierre Daugas and Bernard Gély, all three specialists in Palaeolithic archaeology and art. On 2 January 1995, Jean Clottes’ report recommended several measures to limit access to the cave and avoid repeating the mistakes made at Lascaux, where massive tourist exploitation had irreparably damaged the cave.

How old is the Chauvet cave?

Studies carried out in the cave have revealed that it was occupied during two periods: during the Aurignacian period (from 37 to 33,500 BC) and then during the Gravettian period (from 31 to 28,000 BC). 22,000 years ago, a landslide sealed the natural entrance to the cave, allowing it to be protected and the paintings to be preserved in such good condition.

Chauvet 2: the replica of the Chauvet cave

Very early on, development work was carried out to secure access to the cave and to monitor the health and climate of Chauvet. To preserve it, Jean Clottes’ recommendations were followed: the cave would never be open to the public and only a hundred or so visitors a year (scientists, officials, hand-picked press, etc.) were authorised to enter it, following a very strict protocol.

However, in order to make the cave visible to as many people as possible, the Rhône-Alpes region and the Ardèche General Council launched the project in 2006 to build a reconstruction of the Chauvet cave . Construction began in 2012, a few kilometres from the original cave, and the replica opened to the public in 2015.

How is a replica of a cave created?

The facsimiles are created from thousands of digital photos that were used to model the cave walls. A team of “forgers”, artists specialised in copying cave art, then came to reproduce each of the drawings centimetre by centimetre on resin panels, using the same pigments and charcoal as the prehistoric men. The restitution is very close to the original cave.

In addition to the drawings, the concretions (geological forms) were also reproduced, as well as the animal bones found in the cave.

What can be seen in the Chauvet cave?

A thousand paintings and engravings have been recorded in the cave . These represent either humans, animals or signs. 447 representations of animals of 14 different species are visible, including the only representation of an owl known to date in cave art.

Several methods of drawing were used: the “palm-dot” technique by applying a coloured palm to the wall; scraping engravings; or charcoal point drawings.

Two large frescoes are breathtaking and show that the artists who created these drawings mastered several techniques such as the use of shades, the outlining of contours or the exploitation of the relief of the walls for the benefit of the drawings. The art of Chauvet thus made it possible to become aware of the artistic talent of these men and women .

It is also worth noting that although today the replica can be visited in full light, the original cave was discovered in its time by the light of a torch which, with the effects of shadows projected on the walls, brought the paintings to life, thus creating what was perhaps the first film in the world!

Some 200 skulls of cave bears have also been found in the cave. These bears died here naturally and stayed at Chauvet intermittently with humans.

Visit the Chauvet cave

As you can see, you are not allowed to visit the original cave. On the other hand, the replica is open to all, all year round .

You should allow ½ day to visit the whole site because more than just the cave, Chauvet 2 also offers an interpretation centre to better understand who the men were who left us this wonderful heritage and the environment in which they lived.

Chauvet 2 also offers animations around cave art for families and, this year, a sound and light show called “Animals” takes you from prehistory to street art!

Explore the Chauvet cave virtually

If you can’t make it to the cave, the French Ministry of Culture offers a virtual visit available free of charge on the website archeologie.culture.fr

Useful information

Adress: Grotte Chauvet 2 Ardèche 4941 Route de Bourg Saint Andéol 07150 Vallon Pont d’Arc (France)

Opening hours: Opening hours vary according to the season, check the cave’s website

Website: https://en.grottechauvet2ardeche.com/

Price: Adults: €17 10-17 years old: €8.5 Free for children under 10 years old

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Chauvet: The Dawn of Art

February 2020 | By Artist in Residence at Google Arts & Culture: Jonathan Tanant, in collaboration with Atlas V

Explore the prehistoric Chauvet Cave in France

Collection:

" Chauvet: The Dawn of Art " is a 10 minutes VR experience that guides visitors through the Chauvet Cave and is narrated by Cécile de France (French Version) or Daisy Ridley (English version). The virtual visitor will be able to freely explore 12 stations within the cave complemented by expert commentary by Chauvet’s scientific team. Furthermore one will be able to discover the surroundings of the Chauvet Cave, explore the Horses Fresco up close, and marvel at the drawings coming to life. In this experience you are invited to “touch” the cave wall or to visit the cave in torchlight. 

Availability:

- Free download on the SteamVR platform in English and French. Accessible through HTC vive or Oculus Rift devices. 

- 360 video in French and English on g.co/chauvetcave

You can also explore the cave in Augmented Reality : when you use Google Search to query the “Chauvet Cave”, you will be presented with the option to "See the Chauvet Cave Frescoes" up close in the “Knowledge Panel”. Clicking on the "View in 3D button" will allow you to see a 3D model that shows a highlight section of the Chauvet Cave frescoes that can be rotated and zoomed into. If your phone also supports AR, you will see the option to project the model in AR in your space.

The Chauvet Cave in Ardèche, France is home to some of the most ancient human art ever known. Discovered in 1994, it revolutionized our understanding of emerging human creativity. The cave has been sealed off to the public since its discovery to preserve the fragile and irreplaceable art that has survived undisturbed for 36,000 years. The UN’s cultural agency UNESCO granted it World Heritage status in 2014.

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At Dawn of Mankind

The oldest masterpiece of humanity.

A lifetime experience to the roots of Art.

In the heart of ARDECHE , one of the most rural part of France, you will enjoy a scenic route that will take you to the Pont d’Arc site.

Facing the lion’s panel in the CHAUVET CAVE , one of the greatest masterpiece of art painted 36 000 years ago , twice as old as Lascaux, is something that may change your certitudes. It will for sure change your ideas about art and about prehistoric times. The quality of the guiding, the incredible talent of the people who created such wonders, the quality of the reproduction and of the museum attached, the beauty of the site, everything works to provide the best experience.

The breathtaking ARDECHE CANYON , with its famous PONT D’ARC landmark, didn’t change much through thousands of years. Along the scenic route several stops on blaconies will offer splendid perspectives.

«  The discovery of this cave changed the history of art » – Jean-Marie Chauvet

Painted caves tour - Prehistory in Provence - Ardèche sightseeing tours

• Chauvet cave 2
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Caverne du Pont d'Arc

Chauvet pont d'arc cavern tour.

• • Chauvet Pont d'Arc Cavern Tour
• • Ardeche Canyon and Orgnac Cave Tour
• • Mont Gerbier de Jonc Volcano

• From Vallon-Pont d'Arc, Grospierres, Ruoms, Saint-Martin-d'Ardèche, Lagorce, Vogué, Orgnac-l'Aven, Bourg-Saint-Andéols, Barjac.

Tour details:, key points:.

• Visit the Cavern of Chauvet Pont-d'Arc (Full size replica of the Chauvet cave).
• Drive at the cliff fottave of the Original Chauvet Pont-d'Arc cave.
• Stop at the Pont d'Arc natural Arch.
• Stunning view at one Belvedere of the Ardèche Canyon.

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Online booking click here:, • from aubenas, vals les bains, antraigues, neyrac les bains., • alternative departure points and privage tours..

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Meet the People of the Chauvet Cave

Explore the links between the animal world and the human world in the cave, grotte chauvet - unesco world heritage site.

Entrance of Aurignac Cave(France) (2009-07-29/2009-07-29) by Totor 22 Grotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

The world of the Aurignacians

Where does the term "Aurignacian" come from? This name, which was coined in 1906, comes from the commune of Aurignac (in Haute-Garonne, France) where archeological material was found in a rock shelter. It is precisely from these artifacts, which date to about 35,000 years ago, that Aurignacian culture was discovered.

Cro-Magnon Skull 1 (1868) (2015-04-25/2015-04-25) by Musée de Tautavel/smergc Grotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

Who were these people? Having an anatomy similar to that of human beings today, these people had the same physical and cognitive capacities as we do. They are called Aurignacians, after the name of the culture that they developed (see previous question). They arrived in Europe at least 43,000 years ago via the Middle East, and perhaps even the Strait of Gibraltar, and crossed paths with the Neanderthals (interbreeding has been proven between the two species), and perhaps the Denisovan humans.

The Aurignacians chose to settle in areas where they could exploit the natural resources. To this end, they implemented strategies and acquired extensive technical knowledge. These nomadic groups developed an organized subsistence economy, through which they met to exchange goods, ideas, and genes.

Aurignaciens (reconstructed scene) (2015-04-25/2015-04-25) by smergc Grotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

The child The child was often the focus of Aurignacian hunter-gatherer concerns. Benefiting from the attention of members of the group, children are educated by their accompanying adults and they would observe activities of hunting, gathering, or manufacturing of objects of daily life.

A child in the Chauvet Cave? Human footprints attributed to a teenager or young adult were found at the rear of the cave. These footprints are not dated but are certainly older than 21,000 years old (this age also marks the closure of the cave).

Hohle Venus-Fels (Germany) (2015-04-25/2015-04-25) by Musée de Blaubeuren/smergc Grotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

Women In hunter-gatherer communities, women actively participated in the survival of the group, particularly through the gathering of food resources. They also had a special cultural status, judging from the female statues found throughout Europe, including the Hohle Fels Venus found in the cave of the same name (in Germany) which dates back to around 35,000 years ago. This 6 cm high mammoth ivory statue was worn as a necklace, attesting to the existence of a ring in place of the head.

Pont d'Arc 36.000 years ago (Ardèche) (2015-04-25/2015-04-25) by Anamnésia/Kaléos/smergc Grotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

What environment did the Aurignacians live in? Europe was undergoing an ice age 36,000 years ago. Nevertheless, the south of the continent had a more temperate climate, where summers were mild, and perhaps even hot at times. In contrast, winters were very cold.

The landscape of the Gorges of the Ardèche was already in place, with the exception of some variations in the river level and the coarse sediment through which the water flowed. The natural arch of Pont d'Arc, identical to what we see today, had already been breached by the Ardèche river. The main difference was the vegetation: there was large flat grasslands of vegetation with few trees. The fauna was dominated by large mammals (mammoths and woolly rhinoceroses, cave bears, Megaloceros, steppe bisons, cave lions, saiga antelopes, etc.). Most of these large animals make up the bestiary that adorn the Chauvet Cave.

Horses Pannel (extract) (-36000/-36000) by L. Guichard/Perazio/smergc Grotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

What are the specific features of Aurignacian culture? Our hunter-gatherer ancestors, artisans, and artists share the same physical and cognitive abilities as us. Their main innovation was the appearance of a bone industry and very successful art. The Aurignacians went so far as to link the material and immaterial worlds by inventing symbolic codes assigned to weapons or artistic images.

In fact, the Aurignacian culture is distinguished by the rise of symbolism and artistry. The Aurignacians changed their clothing and body ornaments on a daily basis, attesting to the desire to identify individuals within the group or even to mark inter-ethnic differences. At the same time, the Aurignacians developed figurative art by occupying the subterranean worlds whose walls they adorn or by producing an equally successful portable art.

View of the natural route leading to Chauvet Cave (2015-04-25/2015-04-25) by S. Compoint/résolute/smergc Grotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

Daily life of the Aurignacian

Habitat and dwellings of the Aurignacians It is important to distinguish habitat from dwelling. The dwelling is the place where life takes place, whereas habitat is the context. The dwelling of the Aurignacians had many different forms. Our ancestors frequented cave porches and deep caves. They also lived outdoors in camps or below a rock shelter. To these two major types of habitat, we must add hunting stops and stone tool production sites. The habitat is established by the environment. An area with rock shelters allowed the Aurignacians to leave some structures in place for later use. On the other hand, in an open environment, they had to transport all their equipment, including the dwelling itself. In general, in order to optimize the habitat, and to conserve energy as well, people seemed to prefer sites protected from prevailing winds and located near a river and trees.

Active fireplace (reconstruction) (2015-04-25/2015-04-25) by Anamnésia/Kaléos/Smergc Grotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

At the heart of the dwelling The home is a fundamental part of the dwelling. It is what brings together the individuals of the group, promoting social cohesion. The habitat is centered on the home, a fundamental element of group survival. A fire pit and energy source is a major element of the home for working on materials, providing light, and eating, as well as bringing the group together.

The fire pits found in the cave reveal different morphologies. Large or small, often filled with red ocher, and placed on the ground or buried, their structure is complex. For example, the edges of some fire pits may consist of quartz pebbles or slabs of shale or limestone. Some Aurignacian habitat floors are sometimes completely or partially covered with platelets, slabs, or pebbles to isolate and ensure the circulation of heat.

Ocre Bucket (2015-04-25/2015-04-25) by J.-M. Geneste/smergc Grotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

The importance of ocher to the Aurignacians Floors in the dwelling are sometimes covered with ocher, a ferruginous red or yellow material. Reduced into powder or broken up, this material was probably used for its medicinal, technical (coloring clothes and the body), or symbolic properties.

The floors of some habitats show archeological evidence of fragmentation, grinding and pulverization of red ocher. This natural material was intended for various technical (coloring clothes and portable objects), symbolic (body use), and sanitary (wound care, elimination of parasites) uses. In that respect, it is not possible yet to determine whether the floors of the habitats were deliberately covered with ocher or if this was the consequence of our ancestors actions.

Silex and Nucleus (2015-04-25/2015-04-25) by J.-M. Geneste/smergc Grotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

Innovation to adapt Among the innovations of the Aurignacians, flakes were remarkable instruments for doing everything. These are small stone tools, approximately 1 to 2 cm in long, very finely cut, and as sharp as razor blades. The flakes reflect the excellent technical mastery of the tool cutter. They also revealed a change in behavior and hunting methods that reinforced food security.

Flakes were important elements providing two important items of social information about our ancestors' daily life. Sliced from a stone block (core) and finely carved, flakes were used for work on organic, soft, and flexible materials, such as animal muscle tendons. They could also be used to sew or bind projectile tips. Some archeological sites contain large amounts of flakes. This can attest to the existence of standardized production and storage of these versatile tools. The production of these flakes in large quantities is a likely sign of anticipation of the technical needs of the entire group.

Aurignacians by Anamnésia/Kaléos/smergc Grotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

The importance of hunting

The Aurignacians roamed and exploited vast hunting grounds, probably an area of several hundred square miles. Traversed all year by hunters, either alone or accompanied by the whole group, these areas offered animal and plant resources for our ancestors.

Spears (2015-04-25/2015-04-25) by J.-M. Geneste/smergc Grotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

Hunting was an activity of subsistence symbolism Among the hunting weapons, spears were the most remarkable. These are weapons whose manufacture and upkeep required great technical knowledge mastered by the hunters. By launching their spear, hunters can take down a horse more than 30 m away!

The spear is a hunting weapon owned and used only by hunters, probably the majority of men in the group. Finely prepared using reindeer antlers or ivory, spears were made by the hunters themselves who possess very specialized knowledge directly related to the survival and protection of the group. To be effective, these projectile weapons must be straight and firmly mounted. Hunters had to possess and carry several spears, which means that the needs of the group were taken into consideration. For these people, hunting was a vital activity. It was an essential activity serving to feed the members of the group but also a cultural and symbolic act necessary for community cohesion.

Bison (Bison priscus) (2015-04-25/2015-04-25) by smergc Grotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

What role did animals play for the Aurignacians? Animals were a food resource. Archeological evidence throughout Europe shows that hunted species differed by geographic area. These differences depended on ecosystems and cultural choices. In this respect, the archeological sites show that the Aurignacians of northern Europe favored reindeer while those of southern Europe preferred bovines, deer, or even ibex (wild mountain goat) in steep mountainous regions.

In Eastern Europe (especially the most eastern areas of Europe, such as present-day Russia), they preferred bison, saiga antelopes, and mammoths, whose bones make up the majority on the ancient dwelling sites.

Steppe Mammouth (2015-04-25/2015-04-25) by smergc Grotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

What role did the mammoth play? The Aurignacian hunters were able to hunt mammoth opportunistically. They were also scavengers who collected morsels. The remains of mammoths (bones and ivory) become increasingly rare, moving towards southern Europe.

Abundant in present-day Russia, they become rare or even disappear in the Iberian Peninsula (the territory of France today has an intermediate status where worked ivory is not rare unlike the more exceptional bones). This raises the question of the importance and role of ivory for Aurignacian societies.

Mammouth (mammuthus primigenius) (2015-04-25/2015-04-25) by smergc Grotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

The value of ivory among the Aurignacians Mammoth ivory is one of the most worked materials by the Aurignacians. With this material, our ancestors made tools and weapons and, in particular, portable objects with high cultural value such as statues and ornaments.

Once finished, the ivory object (which is incomparably stronger than wood) probably acquired a value due to its function, aesthetics, and longevity, rather than the material itself.

Vogelherd Horse (Germany) (2015-04-25/2015-04-25) by Université de Tübingen/smergc Grotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

There is a difference between Eastern Europe and Western Europe. In Russian territory, ivory objects were very finely worked (bowls, weapons, etc.) while in Western Europe the sophistication was less accomplished. This difference may be due to the abundant presence of fossil ivory in Eastern Europe where mammoths were more numerous.

The ivory material depends on animal presence. However, many sites containing ivory do not show the presence of mammoths, thus implying that this material was transported. Ivory is identified as having esthetic and technical qualities related to the ease of the activity involved in working on it. In this context, ivory objects are essentially ornaments rather than tools and weapons. This material can give artisans a special status because of the work effort and its high cultural added value.

Man-Lion (Hohlenstein-Stadel, Germany) by Université d'Ulm/smergc Grotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

However, many sites do not have ivory. When this organic matter is preserved, there are adornments and pearls attesting to the existence of production sites, allowing demand and exchange of ivory. This logic of production and exchange related to the value of the material also applies to shells found on sites several hundred miles from the sea.

Reindeer Group by anonyme Grotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

The Aurignacians and the reindeer The reindeer plays an important role in the daily life of the Aurignacians. This small deer is a vital resource of meat and materials. Therefore, the Aurignacians produced many tools in wood and reindeer bones.

Reindeer wood tool (2015-04-25/2015-04-25) by J.-M. Geneste/smergc Grotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

Palaeolithic people developed a subsistence economy largely centered on the reindeer. This animal, abundantly present in the bestiary of the decorated caves, was a resource of critical products and materials. Meat was used as food, skin for clothing, and tents, tendons were recycled for making ties and ropes, and antlers and bones were a resource for tools. As for the teeth, they were even integrated into body ornaments.

Lion-Man (Germany) (2015-04-25/2015-04-25) by Musée d'Ulm/smergc Grotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

The spirituality of the Aurignacians The Aurignacians practiced a spirituality that they expressed in the deep caves through drawing and sculpture. Cave art is the most eloquent manifestation of the connection our ancestors had with the spirit world. For 30,000 years, people have been drawing, sometimes sculpting, animals and geometric signs and, in rare instances, human beings. The Aurignacians depicted mainly dangerous animals (big cats, mammoths, and rhinos). Drawing for the Aurignacians was not a trivial act. This activity required that the artist be appointed by the other members of the group and to have previously prepared his materials and tools for drawing, painting or engraving. The artistic act involved an anticipation of needs and a preconception of the work. Although created by one individual, this work was intended for the group.

Little Mammoth at the entrance (2015-04-25/2015-04-25) by L. Guichard/Perazio/smergc Grotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

The interpretation of these cave artistic manifestations remains a delicate matter. Nevertheless, it is an established fact that prehistoric people used the natural reliefs of the walls. This implies that the parietal representations are not random and can be largely determined by the walls themselves. The Aurignacians seem to have only created creatures that pre-existed in the wall.

Feline Fresco (extract) (2015-04-25/2015-04-25) by L. Guichard/Perazio/smergc Grotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

To this day, due to the small number of these archeological material artifacts (20 or so flints and one spear assegai), the Chauvet Cave has not contributed to the depiction of the daily material existence of our ancestors. Other sites, which are much richer in terms of archeological remains, made it possible to map out the ways of life of the Aurignacian hunter-gatherers. On the other hand, the description of the Chauvet Cave and its contextualization in Europe make it possible to refine the cultural context of our ancestors, in particular by considering the intangible and symbolic link they had with the animal world. Indeed, for the Aurignacian hunter-gatherers, the Chauvet Cave was a major cultural site where they could enter the spirit world. Today, this sanctuary preserves the first great masterpiece in the history of humanity, a tangible heritage of the spirituality of our ancestors.

The Syndicat mixte de l'Espace de restitution de la grotte Chauvet (Public Union to manage the Chauvet Cave/SMERGC) thanks the Ministry of Culture and Communication. This exhibition was created as part of an agreement linking these two partners to promote the Chauvet Cave and its geographical and historical context. SMERGC is the designer, developer and owner of the La Grotte Chauvet 2 site (formerly known as Caverne du Pont d'Arc). It prepared and defended the application package of the Chauvet Cave for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List. http://lacavernedupontdarc.org/ https://www.facebook.com/lagrottechauvet2/ SMERGC also thanks Google Arts & Culture. References * http://www.nature.com/articles/nature10617?message-global=remove&WT.ec_id=NATURE-20111124 ** http://science.sciencemag.org/content/359/6374/456 *** http://www.nature.com/news/oldest-homo-sapiens-fossil-claim-rewrites-our-species-history-1.22114 ****http://science.sciencemag.org/content/328/5979/710

The Bear Hollow Chamber

The skull chamber and the lattices gallery, the end chamber, the candle chamber, chauvet cave: the first known masterpiece of humanity, the brunel room, the hillaire chamber, the red panels gallery, the megaloceros gallery, did our ancestors draw the animals they ate.

PSU ALERT: PSU Campus will be CLOSED Wednesday 5/1 due to ongoing incident at library. Check your e-mail or other registered modes for more information.

School of Architecture

PSU Faculty-Led Info Session (Virtual): France: Painting and Street Art in France

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Zoom link: https://clark-edu.zoom.us/j/89513533313

Kendra Larson, Instructor [email protected]

From cave paintings to plein air painting (outside on-site) to street art, people have always used art to communicate publicly. Wanting to be heard is a uniquely human quality. This class aims to examine this urge, as well as find common ground between artists working is Portland and France today. We will begin in Portland and travel to France as a group to view famous works in person (such as the Mona Lisa, Van Gogh’s Self Portrait, and Monet’s Water Lilies), paint at historical sites (such as Montmartre and Van Gogh’s Saint Paul Asylum), and connect with ancient artists once working at Chauvet Cave.

Through studio visits, street art tours, museum visits, cave painting excursions, and painting onsite we will develop a deep understanding of paintings role in society and as a form of communication. Furthermore, this course will allow you the opportunity to improve your painting skills, develop new painting techniques, and deepen your own art practice. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity will inspire and give you the confidence to pursue your art and travel goals.

Program Dates: December 9th, 2024 - December 20th, 2024

Course Credit: ART 399/410 (4 credits)

Education Abroad Advisor: Fara Mendy, [email protected] Faculty / Program Leader: Kendra Larson, [email protected]

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