Lascaux Timeline
18,000 - 16,000
years ago
In what we know today as southwestern France, Paleolithic huntergatherers paint and engrave the walls and ceilings of a cave with
symbols and images of animals.
1940 AD
Four local boys explore a deep depression by a fallen tree in the
woods near Montignac, France and after clearing away debris,
discover a shaft leading to an underground chamber. They descend
into the cave with an oil lantern. The youngest boy, Jacques
Marsal, remarks later, “We saw a cavalcade of animals larger than
life painted on the walls and ceiling of the cave. Each animal
seemed to be moving.” (Marsal devotes the rest of his life to the
cave, working as chief guide until his death in 1989.)
As word of the paintings spreads, famed pre-historian Henri
Breuil examines them and confirms their authenticity and age.
1948-1963
Daily tours of the cave attract thousands of visitors each year.
One famous tourist, Pablo Picasso, is said to remark in awed
humility after seeing the paintings, “We [contemporary artists]
have learned nothing.”
1963
The cave is closed to the public after signs of deterioration appear,
caused by carbon dioxide from the breath of visitors.
1979
The Lascaux cave and several other painted caves in the area are
designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
1983
After 11 years of work by local artist Monique Peytral and other
painters and sculptors, Lascaux II opens near the original cave.
It features replications of some of the paintings and becomes a
popular tourist destination.
2012-2013
In October, 2012, a new exhibition on the Lascaux cave paintings
opens in Bordeaux, France. It features high-tech replications of
many of the paintings, including some never before seen by the
public. The exhibition then travels from France to Chicago.
Scenes from the Stone Age: The Cave Paintings of Lascaux, makes
its North American premiere March 20, 2013, at The Field Museum.