Bédeilhac cave
| Bédeilhac cave
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| Location: | at Bédeilhac-et-Aynat | |
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Geographic location: |
42 ° 52 '23.9 " N , 1 ° 33' 55.1" E | |
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| Geology: | limestone | |
| Type: | Karst cave | |
| Discovery: | 1773 | |
| Lighting: | No | |
| Overall length: | 1 km | |
| Particularities: | Cave paintings, engravings, handprints from the Magdalenian | |
| Website: | http://www.grotte-de-bedeilhac.org/ | |
The Bédeilhac Cave, northwest of Tarascon sur Ariège, is one of a series of painted karst caves that are classified as Franco-Cantabrian cave art .
An initial description of the 750 meter long cave in the Soudour massif, which in some places has a diameter of up to 100 meters, was made in 1773 by Marcorelle.
The first excavations in the cave took place in 1866 by Édouard Filhol, Jean Baptiste Noulet and Felix Garrigou. In addition to impressive stalactite formations, tools and sculptures from the Magdalenian were found in the cave.
A second excavation campaign, carried out by Edouard Harlé in 1906, brought to light the first cave painting ever found in the Ariége, a large black bison, as well as depictions of deer, reindeer and ibex, some painted, some as engravings or reliefs modeled in loamy places. The pioneer of French prehistoric research Abbe Henri Breuil and his colleagues Hugo Obermaier and Émile Cartailhac confirmed the authenticity of the finds.
On September 18, 1929, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of France added the cave to the list of national cultural assets.
literature
Gaili, René: La Grotte préhistorique de Bédeilhac, Editions Lacour, 2006
Web links
- Entry no.PA00093775 in the Base Mérimée of the French Ministry of Culture (French)
- Visite interactive de la grotte de Bedeilhac , French
supporting documents
- ^ Grotte préhistorique. Retrieved May 17, 2020 .