THE CAVES AND SINKHOLES OF THE ARDECHE
CHAUVET CAVE
The Chauvet-Pont-d'Arc Cave is a cave in the Ardèche department
of southern France that contains the earliest known cave paintings, as
well as other evidence of Upper Paleolithic life. It is located near the
commune of Vallon-Pont-d'Arc on a limestone cliff above the former bed
of the Ardèche River. Discovered in 1994, it is considered one
of the most significant prehistoric art sites.
The cave was first explored on December 18, 1994 by a trio of speleologists:
Eliette Brunel-Deschamps, Christian Hillaire, and Jean-Marie Chauvet,
for whom it was named. Chauvet (1996) has a detailed account of the discovery.
There is a summary here. On top of the paintings and other human evidence
they also discovered fossilized remains, prints, and markings from a variety
of animals, some of which are now extinct.
The cave is situated at N 44° 21' and E 4° 29' 24", above
the previous course of the Ardèche River before the Pont d'Arc
opened up. The gorges of the Ardèche region are home to numerous
caves, many of them having some geological or archaeological importance.
The Chauvet Cave, however, is uncharacteristically large and the quality,
quantity, and condition of the artwork found on its walls has been called
spectacular.
Source Wikipedia
ET AUSSI
AVEN DE LA FORESTIÈRE
AVEN D’ORGNAC GRAND SITE DE FRANCE (Grotte*** et Musée Régional
de Préhistoire)
AVEN MARZAL
GROTTE DE LA MADELEINE
GROTTES DE SAINT MARCEL …