Lascaux


	This region is among the earliest known areas of pre-historic civilisation.

	During the last ice age it teemed with game as the numerous cave paintings testify. As the ice age came to an end a drier climate allowed a more settled agriculture to develop.

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There are many cave complexes and sites of prehistoric occupation in the area. The most famous are at Les Eyzies and Lascaux (near Montignac). Also close to Montignac on the River Vezere is the 'Roque St. Christophe', an impregnable cliff dwelling occupied by Neolithic man and reoccupied during the 100 years war.
During the middle ages the sovereignty of the area was bitterly contested between the English and the French and many bastides and chateaux were constructed for defence.

Located north of Montignac on the left bank of the Vezere, this cave ranks first among the European prehistoric sites. Quality paintings representing many horses, bulls, deer etc. are dated as far back as the aurignacian (30,000 to 18,000 BC) and magdalenian (15,000 to 10,000 BC) ages. Far from being randomly arranged, the subjects of the paintings are distributed according to a systematic plan, like a sanctuary. The works of art seem to have been carried out by different schools as they do not show any technical nor stylistic homogeniety.

LASCAUX cave is located above the Vezere valley near Montignac, in the Dordogne. It was discovered by four young men looking for their lost dog on September 12th, 1940. The cave consists of a main cavern and several steep galleries, all magnificently decorated with engraved, drawn and painted animals. The paintings, which have been dated to the late Aurignacian (Perigordian) period, were done on a light background with natural pigments in various shades of yellow, red, brown and black.The cave is believed to have served as a centre for the communal performance of hunting and magical rites - a belief supported by the number of arrows and traps portrayed on or near the animals. The cave was in perfect condition when first discovered, but it was almost immediately opened to the public and the ensuing traffic and atmospheric changes caused the once vivid colours to fade. A green fungus grew over some of the paintings and in 1963, the cave was again closed. An exact replica of the cave called LASCAUX II was built close to the original cave and opened to the public in 1983