Lascaux Caves in France has some prehistoric tales to tell

Precious RongmeiPrecious Rongmei/TIMESOFINDIA.COM/TRAVEL TRENDS, FRANCE/ Created : Aug 29, 2023, 19:00 IST

Lascaux Caves in France has some prehistoric tales to tell

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Lascaux Caves is one of the most striking archaeological sites in the world. The cave paintings were discovered back in September 1940, and it was opened to the public July 1948. The cave system is around 17,000 years old. These P … Read more

Lascaux Caves in France has some prehistoric tales to tell

The Dordogne region is located in the Vézère Valley, and is one of the most stunning places you will come across. Here, in the village of Montignac, you will find a network of caves that has captured the hearts of many, and it is prehistoric in nature. We are talking about the magnificent Lascaux Caves, home to the beautifully preserved Paleolithic cave paintings.

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These Paleolithic cave paintings were created by our ancient ancestors, and they depict day-to-day life of the society of that time. The walls are adorned with paintings of animals, the act of hunting and other human activities that provide useful insights on life back then.

A lot of these paintings are of the animal ancestors too. For instance, the painting of a rhinoceros-like animal suggests the presence of the long-extinct wooly rhinoceros. The artwork in these caves might have been their way of simply documenting aspects of their world, but look how great it turned out for us. Visiting these caves and being able to look at a part of early human history gives some of the best feelings, travel-wise.

There are 25 such caves and 147 prehistoric sites in the Vézère valley. The Lascaux Caves site was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.

About the Lascaux Caves site

When the caves were discovered, the site sure caught the attention of the world. People from all over the world visited the site to take a look at human history captured in art form. So much so that the site even started facing deterioration due to excess human activities. This led to the closing of the cave complex in 1963. A short distance from the actual site, you will find replicas of the caves, which allows visitors to see and experience the art without causing any physical harm to the original art.

There are several interconnected chambers that form the cave system. Some of the most popular chambers are the Great Hall of the Bulls and the Painted Gallery. Inside the Great Hall of the Bulls, you will come face to face with large paintings of bulls, some of them even measuring over 17 feet in length. Inside the Painted Gallery, you will find artwork depicting human figures.