What Did Nature Around the Chauvet Cave Look Like 36,000 Years Ago?

Around 36,000 years ago, Earth was undergoing an ice age

Europe 36.000 years ago (2015/2015) by Anamnésia/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

The geography of Europe 36,000 years ago

Two human species lived in Europe 36,000 years ago. The Neanderthals, who were present for around 300,000 years, were on the decline. Some Neanderthal groups survived but their days were numbered. For the most part, modern humans, now known as Homo sapiens (formerly Cro-Magnon), occupied Europe at least 10,000 years ago. They thrived thanks to their demographic dynamic, which was more efficient than that of their Neanderthal cousins. It should nevertheless be noted that these two human species met each other. The exchanges were cultural but also biological. It has been proven that they interbred.

Pont d'Arc 36.000 years ago (Ardèche) (2015-04-25/2015-04-25) by Anamnésia/Kaléos/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

The Combe d'Arc

The Pont d'Arc was created by the Ardèche river, whose river bed was at least 16 ft high, and the river flowed into pebble banks, gravel, and thick sand. In the upper slope in the distant, we can see the gaping prehistoric entrance to the Chauvet Cave.

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During the Upper Paleolithic period, the vegetal landscape around the Chauvet Cave was very similar to that of today's Scottish Highlands.

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A very different river

The Ardèche river had already created the Pont d'Arc, which stands in the center of the valley. 36,000 years ago, the water flow had a different appearance from that of today. Hundreds of tons of sediment filled the river bed and raised the level by tens of feet.

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Today, the Ardèche river has completely flooded its bed and banks of coarse sediments are still present. Although they are well covered with vegetation, they are regularly displaced by the flooding of the Ardèche river. Prehistoric people did not see and cross the same river we see today.

Aurignacians by Anamnésia/Kaléos/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

Grasslands covered the landscape and trees covered developed areas, sheltered from cold winds from the north.

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Early analyses of the pollen in the Chauvet Cave revealed an over-representation of two botanical genera: Grasses and Artemisia, which were consistent with dry and cold landscapes with vegetation.

Paradoxically, the pollen of pine species is under-represented in the caves, even those these trees were used to produce charcoal for the drawings in the cave. This can be explained by particular distribution dynamics that prevented pollen from entering the cave in large quantities.

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The steppe landscape is common for areas with a cold temperate climate. Although summers can be mild (59°F or even higher on average), winters are cold (very cold). Cold winds come down from northern Europe, from the ice sheets covering Scandinavia and the British Isles. Humans and animals developed effective coping strategies to withstand the climatic environment that still exists today in northern Europe.

Evolution of Combe Arc Landscape (Ardeche) (2015-04-25/2015-04-25) by SMERGC/AnamésiaGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

This animation shows the evolution of the landscape of the Combe d'Arc, a lost meander of the Ardèche river between 36,000 years ago and today.

The Ardèche river flowed on a bed with coarse sediments 36,000 years ago. Over the course of climatic variations, the river raised its level and sank into the sedimentary banks, fed by the cold and frost that erode the rocky slopes upstream.

The natural arch, so-called Pont d'Arc, and the Ardèche river (2015/2015)Grotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

Regularly, the Ardèche river finds its way back because of the flow of substantial water when it melts at the end of winter or when pile-ups of materials form at the arch.

The bottom of the meander resembles a backwater, a wetland in which animals, especially megafauna, find sustenance in abundance.

Dominating this living space in the middle of the natural arch of the Pont d'Arc is the gaping porch of the cave, creating a great observation point. In addition, access to the cave and the habitat of the cave bear is thanks to this ledge leading to the cave.

Entrance (Chauvet Cave, Ardèche)Grotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

Between 29,000 and 21,000 years ago, the porch of the cave was closed due to several collapses of the upper slope. The cone formed by the debris of these landslides gradually closed the cave. While the Lascaux Cave had not yet been adorned, the Chauvet Cave was already completely decorated and closed. It was only rediscovered in 1994.

Humans have witnessed this gradual closure.

Wool Mammouth (Mammuthus primigenius) #9 (2019-05-21/2019-05-21) by David Huguet/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

The real masters of the place

The rulers of this cold, dry territory were the ones who roamed through the Chauvet Cave. Animals, especially megafauna (large animals), greatly outnumbered people. For our ancestors, animals were material resources: meat for food, bones for weapons, tools and ornaments, skins for clothing and habitats. They were also intangible resources feeding the spirituality of hunter-gatherer communities.

Cave Lion (Panthera spelaea) #4 (2019-05-21/2019-05-21) by David Huguet/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

The cave lion (Panthera leo spelaea)

Cave Lion (Panthera spelaea) #2 (2019-05-21/2019-05-21) by David Huguet/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

The cave lion shared the top of the food chain with humans 36,000 years ago. In the Chauvet Cave, it is one of the most represented animals.

Lion-Man (Germany) (2015-04-25/2015-04-25) by Musée d'Ulm/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

This large cat inspired our ancestors who observed them very closely, even identifying themselves with the animals, as evidenced by the sculptures of beings half human and half lion.

Felines (Chauvet Cave, Ardèche) (2008/2008) by L. Guichard/Perazio/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

Larger than the African lion, the cave lion was 2.50 m (8 ft) long (without the tail). They did not have a mane. They disappeared 10,000 years ago at the end of the ice age.

Aurignacian hunter-gatherer #3 (2019-05-21/2019-05-21) by David Huguet/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

People did not hunt cave lions. On the other hand, they used lion teeth to make ornaments that were worn to show prestige within the group.

Wool Mammouth (Mammuthus primigenius) #8 (2019-05-21/2019-05-21) by David Huguet/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

The woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius)

Wool Mammouth (Mammuthus primigenius) #5 (2019-05-21/2019-05-21) by David Huguet/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

The largest terrestrial animal of the last glaciation (100,000 to 10,000 years ago), the woolly mammoth was probably the best known and the most iconic animal of this period. The origins of the word mammoth comes from Estonia: "ma" for Earth and "mut" for mole. This dates back to medieval times, when the first bones were excavated.

Wool Mammouth (Mammuthus primigenius) #7 (2019-05-21/2019-05-21) by David Huguet/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

Contrary to popular belief, the woolly mammoth was smaller than the present-day African elephant. Males reached a height of 2.60 m (8.5 ft) and weighed around four tons. The hyper-adaptation of the woolly mammoth to the very cold environment can be seen in the small dimensions of the trunk, tail, and the ears. The animal also had an anal operculum that could fold during intense cold.

Wool Mammouth (Mammuthus primigenius) #4 (2019-05-21/2019-05-21) by David Huguet/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

The myth of mammoth hunting is not an archeological reality. People ate mammoth meat opportunistically and at occasional times. They also exploited the bones of the animal to make tools, weapons, and ornaments. In Siberia, people used the bones to make huts that they then covered with skins.

Whooly Rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis) #2 (2019-05-21/2019-05-21) by David Huguet/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

The woolly rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis)

Wooly Rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis) (2019-05-21/2019-05-21) by David Huguet/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

The woolly rhinoceros was not hunted and was a resource poorly exploited by prehistoric men. At the same time, the woolly rhinoceros is very rarely represented in prehistoric art. Despite this, it holds a very special place in the bestiary of the Chauvet Cave.

Wool Rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis) #3 (2019-05-21/2019-05-21) by David Huguet/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

A very common animal in prehistory, the animal had impressive dimensions: 2 m (6.5 ft) high, up to 3.60 m (12 ft) long, and weighing around 1.5 to 2 tons. In addition, it was perfectly suited to very cold weather conditions.

Wooly Rhinoceros (Chauvet Cave) (2008/2008) by L. Guichard/Perazio/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

With the exception of the Chauvet Cave, which is a very special case with 65 representations of woolly rhinoceros, the animal has a minor place in Paleolithic art. There are only around 20 individuals in the other adorned caves.

Cave Bear (Ursus spelaeus) #3 (2019-05-21/2019-05-21) by David Huguet/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

The cave bear (Ursus spalaeus)

Cave bear (Ursus spelaeus) (2019-05-21/2019-05-21)Grotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

The bear is an animal very poorly represented in the bestiary of adorned caves. People, however, lived alongside them by sharing the same living spaces that the two species competed for. The presence of the bear in the Chauvet Cave is highly visible thanks to the many artifacts (imprints, hollows, polished walls, bones, and drawings) that have been preserved.

Cave Bear (Chauvet Cave) (2015-04-25/2015-04-25) by smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

The morphology of cave bears is close to that of contemporary brown bears. About 2.50 m (8 ft) long and 1.30 m (4 ft) high at the shoulders, it measured up to 3 m (10 ft) high when standing on its hind legs. Its weight could reach 500 kg (1,000 lb) for large males, and 250 to 300 kg (500 to 600 lb) for females.

Cave Bear (2015-04-25/2015-04-25) by smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

The decline of cave bear populations began around 50,000 to 25,000 years ago. It would seem that neither hunting nor climate change can be the exclusive explanation for the disappearance of this animal.

Pile of cave bear bones (2008/2008) by L. Guichard/Perazio/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

In Europe, there are 30 archeological sites where cave bear bones have traces of cutting, showing that bear meat could have been consumed. The animal could have been scavenged and not necessarily hunted. Its skin and teeth were used to make adornments.

Skull Room (Chauvet Cave) (2008/2008) by L. Guichard/Perazio/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

There are no hard facts demonstrating that the bear held a major place in human spirituality. Examination of archeological material from european sites does not support the hypothesis of a particular symbolic place for the bear within human cultures of the Upper Paleolithic period. The bear cult, entertained since the 1920s, has not been confirmed by tangible archeological today.

Accumulation of Cave Bear Bones (Chauvet Cave) (2008/2008) by L. Guichard/Perazio/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

There are so many bear bones in the Chauvet Cave and they are so well preserved that a scientific team has been able to reconstruct the genetic profile of an individual who died 32,000 years ago. This study found that the brown bear, polar bear, and cave bear had a common ancestor that lived 1.6 million years ago.

Megaceros (Megaloceros giganteus) (2019-05-21/2019-05-21) by David Huguet/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

Megaloceros (Megaloceros giganteus)

Megaceros ("Megaloceros" is also used)

Megaceros (Megaloceros giganteus) (2019-05-21/2019-05-21) by David Huguet/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

This giant Paleolithic deer is characterized by its enormous antlers that reached 3 m (almost 10 ft) from tip to tip. The Megaloceros deer, which disappeared around 8000 years ago, did not seem to have as major a place in Paleolithic human culture as mammoths or big cats.

Megaceros (Megaloceros giganteus) #7 (2019-05-21/2019-05-21) by David Huguet/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

This animal is known thanks to the numerous complete skeletons found in the bogs of Ireland. With a height at the shoulders of around 2 m (6.5 ft), this giant cervid (deer) was distinguished by the size of its antlers that could reach 3 m (almost 10 ft).

Megaceros Gallery (Chauvet Cave) (2012/2012) by J. ClottesGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

The Megaloceros was very poorly represented in adorned caves. In addition, we notice that the antlers are often absent from Megaloceros depictions. We can conclude that the animal held a minor place in the spirituality of prehistoric men.

Megaceros (Megaloceros giganteus) #3 (2019-05-21/2019-05-21) by David Huguet/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

Did you know?

The Megaloceros disappeared at the end of the last Ice Age. Some populations appeared to have migrated to northern Europe, where about 7,500 year old bones were found on the Isle of Man (Great Britain) and in southern Scotland. Populations could have survived until 7,000 years ago at the foot of the Urals (Russia).

Steppe Bison (Bison priscus) #3 (2019-05-21/2019-05-21) by David Huguet/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

Steppe Bison (Bison priscus)

Big Bisons (Chauvet Cave, Ardèche) (2008/2008) by L. Guichard/Perazio/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

In spite of its gregarious lifestyle (living in troops) and its imposing mass, the bison was a common prey of prehistoric people. Along with the horse, it is also the most represented animal in parietal art.

Steppe Bison (Bison priscus) #5 (2019-05-21/2019-05-21) by David Huguet/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

The steppe bison was larger than the present day bison. It stood at nearly seven feet and weighed one ton. The color of its fur is not known but it is likely to be similar to that of contemporary bison.

Bison (Bison priscus) #2 (2019-05-21/2019-05-21) by David Huguet/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

The bison was an iconic animal in the beliefs of prehistoric people. This large animal is very often represented in adorned caves. The Chauvet Cave contains 31 representations of bison. Most are in the large fresco of the End Chamber where they are staged as being chased by a group of cave lions.

Snow Panther (Panthera uncia) #7 (2019-05-21/2019-05-21) by David Huguet/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

Snow leopard (Panthera uncia)

Snow Panther (Panthera uncia) #3 (2021-05-21/2021-05-21) by David Huguet/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

A medium-sized big cat with short broad legs and a long tail, the snow leopard lived in Ardèche 36,000 years ago. Today this cat lives in the foothills of the Himalayas.

Woman (Aurignacian Culture) (2019-05-21/2019-05-21) by David Huguet/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site

Humans in an animal world

Animals were ubiquitous at all times 36,000 years ago. They occupied the lives of humans from birth to death. Their use was essential because they served as food. They also fed the spiritual life of our ancestors and served to embody beliefs. The Chauvet Cave also has an exceptional bestiary, with animals telling stories of people for people.

Credits: Story

The Syndicat mixte de l'Espace de restitution de la grotte Chauvet (Public Union to manage the Chauvet Cave/SMERGC) thanks the Ministry of Culture and Communication. This exhibition was created as part of an agreement linking these two partners to promote the Chauvet Cave and its geographical and historical context.

SMERGC is the designer, developer and owner of the La Grotte Chauvet 2 site (formerly known as Caverne du Pont d'Arc). It prepared and defended the application package of the Chauvet Cave for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

http://lacavernedupontdarc.org/
https://www.facebook.com/lagrottechauvet2/
SMERGC also thanks Google Arts & Culture.

References
- Preliminary pollen analyses of Aurignacian soils in the Chauvet Cave (Ardèche)
Bulletin de la Société préhistorique française, 2005, 102-1 p. 63-68
- Céline Bon et al. (2008) - Deciphering the complete mitochondrial genome and phylogeny of the extinct cave bear in the Paleolithic painted cave of Chauvet, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the NSA, vol.105, No. 45, pp.17447–17452.
- P. A. Kosintsev (2003) - Findings of the Giant Deer Megaloceros giganteus in the Holocene of the Ural Mountains, Doklady Biological Sciences, May 2003, Volume 390, Issue 1-6, pp. 237-238

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The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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