Hidden deep within a limestone cliff, some of the most spectacular prehistoric cave paintings are still open to the public.
The paintings of Font-de-Gaume were first formally discovered in 1901 by a local schoolteacher, Denis Peyrony, although locals had long known of their existence without recognizing their significance. Since then, the site has been extensively studied by generations of archaeologists who, with new technology, continue to find previously undocumented paintings hidden in the shadowy crevices of its walls.
Research suggests that the area was inhabited by hunter-gatherers starting around 25,000 B.C., with sporadic settlements lasting thousands of years.
The paintings themselves were created during the Magdalenian period, the last phase of the Ice Age. It was an era of enormous artistic expression, technological innovation and cultural development.
The motives for creating this art remain a mystery. Whether it reflects a drive for self-expression or a much deeper religious symbolism tied to rituals is still a matter of debate. What is clear from the themes of these paintings, however, is the importance that animals and the natural world played in the imagination and the worldview of these ancient peoples.
The walls feature a veritable bestiary of species that roamed the land in prehistoric times. These include woolly mammoths, wild horses, red deer, ibex, cave bears, wild boars, reindeer, aurochs, cave lions, a wolf, and a woolly rhinoceros. There are even some faint paintings of human-like figures that seem to move cryptically amongst the herds of animals.
Of the paintings still visible to visitors, the numerous European bison are undoubtedly the most visually striking. Painted in polychrome, the artists used the natural contours of the cave walls to emphasize the bulk and muscularity of their bodies.
The result is a striking testament to the innate human impulse for artistic creativity and expression.
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