Cosquer Cave

Cosquer Cave is a decorated Paleolithic cave near Cap Morgiou in Marseille, France, with its entrance submerged 37 m underwater due to postglacial sea level rise. Discovered in 1985 by diver Henri Cosquer, the cave contains approximately 500 works of parietal art from two periods: Gravettian-era hand stencils (c. 27,000 BP) and Solutrean-era animal depictions (c. 19,000 BP) including horses, ibex, seals, and great auks. Rising seas have destroyed about 80% of the cave's art, with water levels rising roughly 3 mm annually. A full-scale replica, Cosquer Mediterranee, opened in Marseille in June 2022.