Lascaux

Lascaux is a network of caves near the village of Montignac, in the department of Dordogne in southwestern France [1]. Over 600 parietal wall paintings cover the interior walls and ceilings of the cave [1]. The paintings represent primarily large animals, typical local contemporary fauna that correspond with the fossil record of the Upper Paleolithic in the area [1]. They are the combined effort of many generations [1]. With continued debate, the age of the paintings is now usually estimated at 17,000 to 22,000 years [1]. On 12 September 1940, the entrance to the Lascaux Cave was discovered on the La Rochefoucauld-Montbel lands by 18-year-old Marcel Ravidat when his dog investigated a hole left by an uprooted tree [1]. The cave contains nearly 6,000 figures, which can be grouped into three main categories: animals, human figures, and abstract signs [1].