Lascaux is a complex of caves in the
Dordogne region of France. In 1940 some teenagers were exploring one of these when they
came upon grottos in which there were strange, impressionistic paintings of animals on the walls and ceilings. After
the caves had been studied by experts it was determined that the paintings had been done 25,000 years ago. The French government
developed this treasure for the public to view. People came to Lascaux in droves, until it became apparent that the exhaling
of breath in the caves by up to 1200 people per day was beginning to have a deteriorating effect on the paintings. The caves
were closed to the public in 1963 and soon after, the French government began construction of a set of caves that would be an identical
reconstruction of two of the grottos in the original caves, the Great Hall of the Bulls, and the Painted Gallery. This new set
was given the title of Lascaux II and was opened to the public in 1983. We visited
Lascaux II on our 2002 trip.
There is
not much of note to see in the immediate area in which the caves are located. It looks like undeveloped forest. Any form
of photography is forbidden inside the caves. There is an archeology museum that is part of a nearby related complex,
Le
Thot. The museum contains a goodly number of artifacts from the period of the cave painters and was well-worth the time spent
in it. But the caves themselves, and the paintings therein, were main attraction. Though damp and dark, with steep
and narrow up and down inclines, the visitor is rewarded by being able to see those animals rendered so beautifully so
long ago. The awe one feels in their presence increases as one learns from a knowledgeable guide that the paintings were done
in almost complete darkness by the light of crude, dim, flickering oil lamps, and that the contours of the cave walls were incorporated
by the artists to create the effects that they wanted.
Although we cannot show you photos of those paintings,they can be seen
and studied by going to the Lascaux and other websites. We also can offer you a
letter excerpt.
