The Account of the Caves Since They Were Discovered and Their Geographical Setting - Research Paper Example

Lascaux Caves The Account of the Caves Since They Were Discovered and Their Geographical Setting Lascaux caves comprise of complex caves located in the southwestern part of France. The site is famous of its paleolithic cave paintings (Burnham 68). The original caves are situated next to Montignac village in the Dordogne department. These caves are famous because of their upper Paleolithic art, which is best known a round the globe. The approximate age of the paintings is 17,300 years (Burnham 76). Large images of animals are the primary artifacts in the caves. Most of the images are known from evidence fossil, which lived in this area 17, 300 years ago. These caves were incorporated in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1979. This site was discovered in 1940 by Marcel Ravidat who was 18 years old by then. Ravidat invited four other friends Marsal, Jacques, Agnel and Coencas to the caves and discovered that they were covered with animal depictions. In 1948, the cave was opened to the public and unfortunately by 1955, the animal paintings at the cave had been destroyed by carbon dioxide produced by human beings visiting the site (Burnham 80). In 1963, the government of France decided to close the site to the public so as to preserve the art site. After the closure of the site, the paintings were refurbished to their original state (Burnham 83). Everyday monitoring of the paintings was implemented after the restoration of the site. Some of the rooms in the cave include; the Nave, the Apse, the Chamber of Felines, the Passageway, the Shaft and the Hall of the Bulls among others (Burnham 83). Since 1998, the new air conditioning system installed in the cave has been blamed of infecting the site with fungus. Other factors, which have destroyed the site, are high powered lights and too many people visiting the site. The results of these destructions led to black mold in the site (Burnham 84). Upon discovery of these molds, the site was closed for three months. Preservationists and scientists were also kept out of these caves due to the heath hazards, which were associated with the black molds. An individual was only allowed in the cave for just 20 minutes to monitor the climatic conditions after which he could not enter it again till a week elapse (Burnham 85). All this was happening because of the health hazards of black mold. Currently, very few scientific experts have authority to work inside the cave in searching for a solution to the mold, which seems to have taken a toll. The mold has damaged the walls of the cave leaving dark patches. Concerning the geographical setting of the caves, it has a sedimentary composition (Burnham 88). The north most regions of the caves cover the black perigord while a fourth of Dordogne department is covered by the Vezere drainage. The Vezere flows southwards to join the river Dordogne, which is near Limeuil (Burnham 91). A series of limestone cliffs flanked by meanders marks the center of the river. These cliffs determine the landscape of the region. The land contours are soft in Montignac and the neighborhood of Lascaux, which is upstream from the relief that is highly steep-sloped. As one goes deep, the river banks loose their steepness widening the valley floors (Burnham 91). The valley of Lascaux is situated a distance from the decorated caves of major concentration and the inhabited sites which were discovered in the far south. In the surrounding of the village Eyzies-de-Tayac Sireuil, there are about 40 decorated shelters and caves as well as other upper Paleolithic habitation sites (Burnham 92). The sites are located in the open under an overhang that is sheltering. The site has the highest concentration in the Western Europe. The images of the caves and what they mean Megaloceros with line of dots Megaloceros with line of dots is the name of cave above. It contains around 2000 figures that are classified under three groups. The three categories are; animals, abstract signs, and human figures (Bahn 81). The paintings do not have images of the site’s environs. Most images in the cave’s walls have been painted using mineral pigments while others have been incised onto the stones. With time, most images have become faint to distinguish from the other while others have deteriorated completely. More than 900 images in the cave are animal images while 605 have been identified precisely (Bahn 83). Some animal images in the cave are; equines, stags, cattle, bisons, rhinoceros, humans and felines among others. Geometric images are also present in the cave. Great Black Bull; pthotograph N. Aujoulat (2003) In the image above, the bulls are in motion. This cave lacks a reindeer image even though it was the staple foods for the artists of the time. The crossed hind legs of the animal portray perspective (Bahn 84). Some theories have argued that the eves of the bird, bull and bird man represent the three of the summer triangle, which are Deneb, Altair, and Vega. Recent studies have suggested that Lascaux paintings are in a better situation to incorporate charts of the prehistoric star (Bahn 84). Aurochs, horses, and deer The image above is by Julien d'Huy and Jean-Loïc Le Quellec. They show barbed signs of the lascaux caves, which are analysed as wounds or weapons (Bahn 85). The signs are meant to scare dangerous animals like bisons and big cats. This is explained through the fear created by the animation of the images. This point is also supported by the half alive images created on the walls (Bahn 85). The image has not presented animals like aurochs, bisons and ibex side by side; instead the systems like bison-horses-lions system have been distributed to show the relationship between the pictured species and the type of their surrounding (Bahn 85). The caves’ paintings are best explained by believing in real-life pictured species because artists were trying to respect the environmental conditions in real life; for instance, ibex territory is in rocky areas while aurochs, deer and bears habitat in forests. Problems faced by Lascaux caves and what really threatens their existence The main problem faced by the Lascaux caves since the adjournment of the World War II is the carbon dioxide exhalations by visitors who toured the site then (Curtis 96). The presences of light and air circulation changes have also contributed to a number of problems, which have affected the caves. For instance, in 1950 lichens and crystals appeared on the walls of the caves leading to the closure of the site in 1963 (Curtis 96). Although restrictions measured were put in place on the number of people visiting the real caves and replica cave for visitors created, the problem persisted. Due to this problem, authorities in charge of the site decided to change the air conditioning system of the site by regulating humidity and temperature, but this was neither the solution because it introduced the growth of black molds, which is yet another problem (Curtis 96). The problem has been ongoing since then and efforts to control the fungal and microbial growths in the cave have not yielded fruits. The crises of fungal infection have forced the establishment of international scientific committee of Lascaux to rethink how many people should be allowed in the cave at a particular time (Curtis 97). Although Lascaux has a gained fame due to its Paleolithic cave paintings based in the complex caves of Dordogne with outstanding quality, sophistication, size and antiquity; there is need to find a quick solution to the major problem facing these caves as discussed above. Otherwise, the caves may be no more in the next few decades. Works Cited Bahn, Paul. Cave Art: A Guide to the Decorated Ice Age Caves of Europe. London: Frances Lincoln, 2007. Print. Burnham, Brad. Cave of Lascaux: The Cave of Prehistoric Wall Paintings. New York, N.Y: PowerKids Press, 2003. Print. Curtis, Gregory. The Cave Painters: Probing the Mysteries of the World's First Artists. 1st ed. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2006. Print. Read More