A research team from the Center de Recherche et de Restauration des Musées de France has uncovered charcoal-based Paleolithic cave art in the Font-de-Gaume cave, located in the Dordogne region of southern France.

Visible (VIS) light pH๏τography of the selected panel at the “Carrefour” ranging from the facing Reindeers 11 and 12 at Font-de-Gaume cave. Credit: Scientific Reports (2023)

Published in Scientific Reports under the тιтle “First Discovery of Charcoal-Based Prehistoric Cave Art in Dordogne,” the team’s findings provide a key breakthrough in dating techniques.

The Dordogne region, renowned for its 200 caves adorned with Paleolithic art, has posed a significant challenge for archaeologists attempting to determine the age of these ancient masterpieces. Traditionally ᴀssociated with the Magdalenian Period, dating between 12,000 and 17,000 years ago, the art’s coloration with iron- or manganese-oxide-based material has hindered accurate radiocarbon dating.

However, in late February 2020, the research team made an extraordinary breakthrough by discovering charcoal-based drawings in Font-de-Gaume’s main galleries, colloquially known as “Bison Cave.”

(a) VIS light pH๏τography of the selected panel at the “Carrefour” of the panels no. 13 and 14 composed of a reindeer and a horse as well as bison and possibly a deer, respectively, and the schematic Bison 15 © Anne Maigret, C2RMF and (b) corresponding FCIR image with the indicated analytical pXRF and micro-Raman point analyses. Credit: Scientific Reports (2023)

Named for its 80 depictions of bison, alongside images of deer, horses, mammoths, and more, the cave has become a UNESCO World Heritage site, making sampling by authorities extremely rare.

Facing restrictions on sampling, the researchers turned to non-invasive analytical methods, employing visible-light and infrared pH๏τography, superimposition of images, portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF), and portable micro-Raman spectroscopy. By using these methods, the team successfully revealed carbon-based drawings beneath those created with iron and manganese oxide pigments.

The team’s creation of false-color infrared pH๏τography (FCIR) images through superimposing visible-light and infrared images proved pivotal. This innovative technique, capturing radiation wavelengths above 900 nm, allowed the differentiation of various materials used in the creation of the images.

Portable micro-Raman spectroscopy played a crucial role in detecting carbon-based compounds within the images. Meanwhile, pXRF enabled the differentiation of various manganese-oxide compounds present in the black figures. The different types of pigment materials discovered may represent distinct creation phases.

The findings at Font-de-Gaume mark a turning point in the field of archaeology, offering the potential for more precise radiocarbon dating. The discovery of carbon-based cave art opens up new possibilities, allowing scientists to analyze organic carbon for more accurate dating.

More information: Reiche, I., Coquinot, Y., Trosseau, A. et al. (2023). First discovery of charcoal-based prehistoric cave art in Dordogne. Sci Rep 13, 22235. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47652-1