Cave of Niaux

The Niaux Cave is located in the Pyrenees region of the Ariège. It belongs to the radius of the Franco-Cantabrian cave art. It involves an extensive cave system that was " bored " by a once existing underground stream in the limestone. In this system, there are numerous cave drawings, including with depictions of bison, horses, ibex, a deer, and yet misunderstood groups of dots and dashes. There are no findings which indicate that the cave was ever inhabited.

The cave is situated in the valley of Vicdessos, the 'active' part of the art design is specified ( the most recent work ) with about 13,500 (the oldest work) to 12,500 years. The time of the paintings thus falls into the Magdalenian, which is a phase of the Upper Palaeolithic. Niaux it one of the more recent photos caves. In particular drawings in the main hall, called the Salon Noir ( Black Salon ) are exported with Manganoxidfarben (originally polychrome, now slightly faded ) worth mentioning, about 775m from the cave entrance.

At the beginning of the 17th century, the cave - as indicated by numerous historical Graffiti - touristy discovered and popular. The age of the drawings, but was not actually detected at that time. 1906 was surveyed and explored by Captain Molar and his sons, the Salon Noir. Molar was probably the first to have recognized the importance of the drawings - which then attracted the attention of specialists. Abbé Henri Breuil (already from other caves known, he himself gives the time of his cave stays underground with " 700 Days" on ) and Émile Cartailhac (the one who was wrong so thoroughly at the cave of Altamira ) investigated the Salon Noir in 1907 systematically. 1925 by J. Mandeman yet discovered the so named by him ' Cartailhac Gallery '.

Not far from the Niaux Grotto, on the opposite side of the valley, is the La Vache cave, by the accept the researchers that they the "residence" of those people was at least temporarily, left by the rock carvings in the Niaux Cave.

Information for Visitors

The images Niaux Cave is the only one among the better-known caves of southern France and Spain images, which is publicly available ( for groups up to 20 people). To protect the cave air, the maximum number of visitors is limited each day. The cave is developed unlit and only minimal. Electric mine lamps are issued to visitors. The guided group must not be abandoned. Hiking equipment is required. The temperature, even in summer, about 12 ° C. Telephone pre-registration is particularly during the holiday season strongly recommended. Before today's cave entrance is a modern architecturally designed tourist information center with the most necessary institutions.

Address

• Grotte de Niaux - SESTA, Parc de l'Art Préhistorique, Route de Banat, 09400 Niaux