Locations

Communes of Les Eyzies de Tayac, Tursac, Montignac-sur-Vézère, Saint-Leon-sur-Vézère, Marquay, Manaurie-Rouffignac and Saint-Cirq-du Bugue, Department of the Dordogne, Region of Aquitaine
N45 3 27 E1 10 12

Theory

The Vézère Valley is on a limestone plateau in Southwestern France. It is home to several hidden calcareous caves. This is Lascaux Cave, the most well known. These drawings here date back to the Paleolithic period around 17,000 years ago. The cave was closed in 1972 for preservation work.

Subsequently decorated grottoes of the Vézère Valley including this Lascaux cave have been inscribed on the list of World Heritage. In this drawing, the front foot of the horse was drawn over the bulky rock surface to give a solid impression. The technique is used to express a galloping horse. This drawing of cattle has many layers. The front red figure is a cow, and behind her is black ox with large horns.

Why did man start to draw? Dr. Michel Lorblanchet has proposed a new theory through practical archaeology that takes account of the painting materials and artistic techniques of the time. He put charcoal in his mouth and sprays it onto the wall, exactly as people during the Paleolithic period used to do. By blowing onto the rocks, they believed that it would breathe life into something inside it. People in those days believed that some kind of supernatural power existed inside the rocks. They tried to capture this great power by projecting images of wild animals onto them. Signs of human imagination have been found here. This unicorn is drawn on the closest wall from the entrance of the Lascaux cave.

People stopped painting in these caves about 10000 years ago. Once they had mastered the skills of stock farming, they started to regard themselves as superior to other animals and with that change the Great Spirit in the caves was gradually forgotten.