Lascaux Caves – Introduction:
Lascaux caves are settings of complex caves that are located in the southwest of France. These caves are famous for its paintings that date back to thousands of centuries ago. These caves are famous for its Paleolithic cave paintings. The original caves are located in near a village named as Montignac. These caves are under the department of Dordogne. The paintings in this caves are ranked in some of the best upper Paleolithic art that dates back to centuries ago (Lascaux Cave n.d.).
These paintings date back to thousands of years old and are said to circa 17,300 years old (Lascaux Caves France travel and tourism …… n.d.). These artistic figures primarily consist of animal figures that are not found today. So they are considered as historian evidence stored as fossil evidence. Researchers think that at some time these animals would have lived on earth at that time being (Lascaux Cave n.d.).
In the year 1979, Lascaux caves were added to UNESCO World Heritage Sites along with other prehistoric sites. These caves are located at 30KM away from Sarlat (Lascaux Cave n.d.) (Lascaux Caves France travel and tourism …… n.d.). These paintings date back to 17,300 years only but these caves are much older than these paintings. It’s said that these caves were occupied for a longer time.
A revolution occurred in the creation of art occurred. This revolution was virtual and started in Upper Paleolithic period in Europe. This revolution was started around 40,000 BC. The archeological records show modern humans replaced Neanderthals effectively by anatomically (Tedesco 2000). About the same time this was being done and being directly linked to this development, the earliest of the art was created. These arts were categorized into two kinds of categories. First one is the paintings and engravings and other is mobility art which includes small sculpted objects that can be moved from one place to another (Tedesco 2000). The kind of paintings is visible in Lascaux caves.
Discovery:
In 1940 Lascaux cave was discovered found by four young boys from Montignac. Montignac is located in Vézère Valley in the Département of Dordogne-Périgord. Marcel Ravidat in 1940 found a cavity in Lascaux hill. On 12 September Marcel Ravidat came back with his friend Georges Agniel, Simon Coencas and Jacques Marsal. They all were young and passionate so they decided to discover the inner of this cave. They started by making the small opening or cavity larger. So they can slip inside and discover the inner of the cave (Lascaux Cave n.d.).
Just with the lamp, they entered the cave. They used this lamp to see the inner of the cave. Within the cave, they were the first to discover the beauty of these caves. They were the first to discover this unique treasure. At the walls of Lascaux, they discovered the paintings of large animals. Lascaux caves are the finest prehistoric paintings still discovered yet that were printed by Cro-Magnons man (Lascaux Cave n.d.).
After a little of struggling through small openings of Lascaux hill, they followed on narrow passages to access the larger rooms beyond in the cave. Prehistoric people that were an inhabitant in discovered that the walls of Lascaux cave’s surfaces functioned perfectly as the perfect, blank “canvas”. They used this blank canvas upon which they draw those excellent figures and paint (LOONEY n.d.). White calcite, roofed by nonporous rock, provides a uniquely dry place to feature art. To paint the walls of Lascaux, these early artists or prehistoric peoples used charcoal and ochre. Ochre is a kind of pigmented, mineral that is so soft and can be easily mixed with different liquids and comes in a range of different colors. These colors include brown, red, yellow, and white. There they found painted images of different animals like horses, deer, bison, elk, a rhinoceros, a few lions and a bear. In form of their paintings, they created an almost as an encyclopedia of the area’s large prehistoric wildlife. Among these images are abstract marks—dots and lines in a variety of configurations. In one image, a humanoid figure plays a mysterious role.
These caves were opened to the public after world war two. Many people traveled to France to visit these majestic caves and to admire these artistic work (Lascaux Cave n.d.). Almost 1500 peoples visited these caves from around the world (Lascaux Caves France travel and tourism …… n.d.).
These caves were open to public till 1963 then it was closed down to public seeing. The reasons to close down these caves were due to many visitors that visited these caves (Lascaux Caves France travel and tourism …… n.d.) (Lascaux Cave n.d.). Every human generates an amount of carbon dioxide while breathing which adds up while there were 1500 visitors on average.
The original caves of Lascaux care closed and the cave that have paintings are under surveillance so that these paintings can be preserved as cultural heritage (Lascaux Cave n.d.).
Lascaux Cave Paintings:
The paintings in Lascaux are mostly of pictures of large animals. These animals are outdated centuries ago. There also some carvings of animals that can be seen, there are also some images of people of that era that can be seen within these paintings (Lascaux Caves France travel and tourism …… n.d.).
Fig: Animal Painting on wall of Lascaux Cave
Peoples in a painting are within a sequence. This sequence probably shows these people running, chasing and hunting a bison. This system of the cave is full of images. These images are calculated by the department and are said to be 1000 images. The color and vibrancy of these painting is amazing and matches the prehistoric Sistine chapel. But there is only one difference that paintings in Sistine chapel were painted in complete darkness (Lascaux Caves France travel and tourism …… n.d.).
The ingredients used to paint these walls were readily available and were derived from minerals and some other objects found in nature (Lascaux Caves France travel and tourism …… n.d.). The color includes red, yellow, black, brown and violet. There are no brushes found so it’s assumed that broad black lines are made with help of mats of moss or hair (Tedesco 2000).
The surface of the paintings appears to be covered by paint that was blown directly or with the help of a tube. Besides coloring the bones of animals stained with color are also found within these caves (Tedesco 2000).
The importance of Lascaux Cave:
Lascaux contains some of the most important and best know paleolithic traces of art and is important for many purposes. There are certain reasons to protect this cave but some of them are given below:
A look into history
Lascaux caves have some of the most important paintings that date back to centuries back. Through these paintings, we have traced some of the species that used to live on this earth ad now have gone extinct. These paintings do not much describe a pretty much information about these species.
Cultural Heritage:
This place has been categorized a UNESCO heritage site. Preserving a heritage site is the duty of every country. Because these landmarks are one way of identification of your country.
Profitability:
Historical places like this attract a lot of people and visitors that spends a lot of money to visit places like this. These caves are important for national revenue.
Preservation for future study
The Caves of Lascaux in France are one of the most famous caves of all of the known caves in the region. In fact, the popularity of Lascaux caves in France has permanently endangered their creation. From 1940 to 1963, the era while it was accessible the numbers of visitors that traveled to this place and their impact which resulted in raised carbon dioxide level on the delicately balanced environment of the Lascaux cave is very dreadful. Lascaux cave which has supported the preservation of the Lascaux cave images for so long as 17,300 year —necessitated the cave’s closure to the public. A replica which is called Lascaux II is same as Lascaux I have created about 200 yards away from the site. The original Lascaux cave is closed down and now is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lascaux Cave will require constant vigilance, undivert attention and upkeep to preserve its rich heritage for future generations.
Many mysteries continue to surround Lascaux, but there is one certainty. The very human need to communicate in the form of pictures—for whatever purpose—has persisted since our earliest beginnings.
Why these images were drawn?
Many scholars think that people painted and engraved the walls. The most famous theory was by a priest named Henri Breuil. Breuil spent time in the caves, recording the images in drawings when the paintings were too challenging graph. The theory suggests that the prehistoric people who used the cave may have believed that a way to overpower their prey involved creating images of it during rituals designed to ensure a successful hunt. This seems plausible when we remember that survival was entirely dependent on successful foraging and hunting, though it is also important to remember how little we actually know about these people.
Another theory suggests that the images communicate narratives (stories). While a number of the depictions can be seen to do this, one particular image in Lascaux more directly supports this theory. A bison, drawn in strong, black lines, bristles with energy, as the fur on the back of its neck stands up and the head is radically turned to face us. A form drawn under the bison’s abdomen is interpreted as internal organs, spilling out from a wound (Lascaux Cave n.d.) (Lascaux Caves France travel and tourism …… n.d.).
Lascaux Under threat:
Lascaux is also called the old lady. The reason to call it old is because of its 1800 years old structure. It is heavily protected and guarded behind bars, security cameras and nurturing offered by the 21st century. Conservation problems have a long history at Lascaux, which was closed to the public in 1963 after green algae grew on the walls. Following treatment with formalin and antibiotics and the installation of a special ventilation system, it enjoyed four decades without major problems
Lascaux was habitat for so long but still the paintings are only seven thousand and three hundred years only. During this time there would have many natural disasters to ruin the beauty of the cave. The opening of the cave for public after world war two changed the inner atmosphere of the cave. The breathing of people in the cave brought a huge amount of carbon dioxide into the cave. There were almost 1500 people on average visiting the cave from around the world (Lascaux – Threats n.d.).
This created a huge problem for the inner atmosphere of the cave. As the paintings in the cave were not under any protection (lascaux hands off approach threatend art n.d.). The gradients which were used to create these paintings are basic and thus they are vulnerable to natural cataclysm (Lascaux – Threats n.d.).
In the late 1950s, the lichens and crystals started to appear on the walls of Lascaux. Which were noticed and then at the conclusion the cave was shut for public access in 1963. After its closure, it was restricted to only a few visitors in a week (Lascaux – Threats n.d.). After its closure, another replica was created for the visitors. This replica has the same paintings, made with same techniques using the same ingredients.
In 2001, the authorities that were in charge of Lascaux changed air conditioning system. This changing brought some relief to Lascaux because due to its changing the temperature, humidity, and internal temperature was in control.
When this system was an established a new kind of threat started to make disaster in Lascaux. An infestation of Fusarium solani started spreading (Lascaux – Threats n.d.). Fusarium solani is a kind of mold. It’s in white color. Fusarium solani spread so rapidly. It was spreading all over the ceiling and walls. It is said the fusarium solani was already there. At first, blame fell on the new system. Because a newly air conditioning system was recently installed. Then it was blamed on the clothes of the workers that installed this unit. Then some later studies show that it was already present in the soil of cave.
Jean Michele Geneste, the chief curator said that the work was maybe one of the factor the propagation of Fusarium solani. Jean also said that the soil of cave was also disturbed in order to lay cables on ground. Fusarium solani was exposed into the cave by work of tradesmen. Some experts also said that it could be another factor while they pointed out the climate change which affecting our world. But Geneste the chief curator said that it’s too early to make a statement.
“All of Lascaux’s problems have always been linked to the cave’s climate, meaning the equilibrium of air inside the cave,” Gaulthier told reporters at a news conference before the symposium. Now, rising temperatures have complicated matters by stopping air from circulating inside the caverns
But he also admitted that many changes have been noticed in another cave of France too. Ten fossils that tell the human tale other factors behind the stains include the presence of naturally occurring microorganisms and the chemical makeup of the rock that forms the cavern walls, Gaulthier and other scientists at the news conference
For example, the rise of carbon dioxide and humidity was increased. But despite all reason, the government planned to cut down the number of a visitor visiting Lascaux cave (SIMONS 2007). This spreading of fusarium solani leads to the spread of a fungus. This fungus spread in a cave in early time and was treated with help of quick lime. In 2007 a new kind of fungus started growing in a real cave. This fungus has created gray and black blemishes (Lascaux – Threats n.d.).
The cave is well equipped with sensors. These sensors are passive and monitor air circulation, humidity, and temperature. But still, intervention is kept to a minimum level. In 2007 due to these fungus attacks Lascaux was listed as UN’s Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to threaten to place Lascaux caves on its “World Heritage in Danger” list.
The French ministry of culture organized and took initiative to manage an international symposium that was titled as “Lascaux and preservation issues in subterranean environments”. This symposium which was organized by the ministry of culture was organized in Paris (Lascaux – Threats n.d.) . It was held on February 26 and 27, 2009 under a campaign. This campaign was run by Jean Clottes. This campaign brought many peoples around to gather information and work on the preservation of Lascaux caves. This campaign brought together nearly 300 participants (Lascaux – Threats n.d.). These participants were from different countries and in total were from seventeen countries. The goal for these participants was same (Lascaux – Threats n.d.). The goal was the confronting research and intervention conducted in a Lascaux cave since 2001. These participants were experienced in the preservation of subterranean field. They use this experience in Lascaux cave for the preservation of these artifacts (Lascaux – Threats n.d.).
The proceedings of this symposium were processed and published lately. They were later published in 2011. Seventy-four specialist contributed to these documents (Lascaux – Threats n.d.). These specialists were a specialist in the field of biology, chemistry, botany, hydrology, climatology, geology, fluid mechanics, archaeology, anthropology, restoration and conservation from different countries. These researchers were from numerous countries including, France, United States of America, Portugal, Spain, japan and some others. They all contributed to the realization of these documents (Lascaux – Threats n.d.).
The Lascaux paintings with their beauty and arrays of bull, stags, oxen, ibexes showing some of them resting while charging and moving forward (French bids to save rock art 2010).
Under the scientific guidance, the human presence is limited. Now after this limitation, only a few peoples can visit these caves (Barchfield 2013). Only 800 hours a year presence is allowed. These presence hours include maintenance and academic research. The replica of this cave two hundred meters away which has the same kind of symbols and paintings (French bids to save rock art 2010). Tourists are advised to visit that cave. This cave receives a pretty good amount of visitors. Because within a year on an average scale 300,000 peoples per year visits Lascaux cave’s replica (lascaux hands off approach threatend art n.d.).
There are still problems that are ongoing and continuously effecting the inner environment of Lascaux cave. But efforts to reduce these problems are still up (French bids to save rock art 2010). These problems have created an international committee for the preservation of Lascaux and rethinking, how much and how human access should be provided for entering in a cave (Lascaux – Threats n.d.).
End Notes:
Barchfield, Jenny. 2013. fungus threatens famed lascaux cave drawings. Accessed 12 2, 2016. http://www.nbcnews.com/id/29407740/ns/technology_and_science-science/t/fungus-threatens-famed-lascaux-cave-drawings/.
2010. French bids to save rock art. September 22. Accessed 12 2, 2016. http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100922/full/467375a.html.
n.d. Lascaux – Threats. Accessed 12 02, 2016. http://www.liquisearch.com/lascaux/threats.
n.d. Lascaux Cave. Accessed 12 2, 2016. http://www.lascaux-dordogne.com/en/lascaux-cave.
n.d. Lascaux Caves France travel and tourism …… Accessed 12 2, 2016. http://www.francethisway.com/places/lascauxcaves.php.
n.d. lascaux hands off approach threatend art. http://phys.org/news/2011-06-lascaux-hands-off-approach-threatened-art.html.
LOONEY, MARY BETH. n.d. Hall of bulls Lascaux – Smart history. Accessed 12 2, 2016. https://smarthistory.org/hall-of-bulls-lascaux/.
SIMONS, MARLISE. 2007. Lascaux cave painting threatened by fungus. Dec 09. Accessed 12 02, 2016. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/09/world/europe/09iht-cave.1.8653751.html.
Tedesco, Laura Anne. 2000. Lascaux (ca. 15,000 B.C.) ……. October. Accessed 12 2, 2016. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/lasc/hd_lasc.htm.