Megaceros Gallery (Chauvet Cave) by J. ClottesGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site
At 98 ft long, this gallery leads to the heart of the sanctuary, with two panels facing each other at the entrance. The one on the left stands out mainly due to the slanted woolly rhinoceros you can see turning to the right.
Entrance of Megaceros Gallery (Chauvet Cave) (2008/2008) by L. Guichard/Perazio/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site
On the other side, a Megaloceros deer with a deliberately incomplete antler is also turned to the right in an slanted position. Other drawings, engraved with a tool or traced with charcoal, can be seen on these two panels.
Ibex of Megaceros Gallery (Chauvet Cave) by J. ClottesGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site
In the middle of the gallery, there are three engravings interpreted as 'pubic triangles'. A little further, there is a set of animal drawings group together an ibex, some woolly rhinos, a megaloceros, and some horses.
Megaceros Gallery (Chauvet Cave) (2008/2008) by L. Guichard/Perazio/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Megaloceros Gallery is the only space where dozens of fire pits have been preserved. Fires were kept in this very constrained space where the heat could reach 300°C (572°F).
Some walls conceal the fire residues with the effects of flaking. The rock fragments are at the foot of the walls in question.
Feline Fresco (Chauvet Cave, Ardèche) (2008/2008) by L. Guichard/Perazio/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site
Discover the other rooms of the Chauvet Cave here:
- Brunel Room
- The Bear Hollow Chamber
- The Red Panels Gallery
- The Candle Chamber
- The Hillaire Chamber
- The Skull Chamber and the Lattices Gallery
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.
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