Grotte de Commarque
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A near life-size horse, half sculpted and half engraved, beneath a medieval castle
At the foot of the cliff that carries the ruined Château de Commarque, this small cave in the Beune valley holds Magdalenian wall art found by Henri Breuil in 1915. Its centrepiece is a near life-size horse worked half in sculpture, half in engraving; around it are ibex, human profiles, female figures and vulvas recorded by Brigitte and Gilles Delluc. Radiocarbon dates on reindeer bone from the occupation put hunters here around 12,700–13,400 years ago. The cave is closed, but the château above opens seasonally.
Gallery
The art
- ◦ Near life-size horse in relief
- ◦ Engraved vulvas and female figures
- ◦ Cave beneath Château de Commarque
How it was made
How we know its age
Rock art carries no signature and no date. These are the methods that put an age on this site. How these methods work →
Plan a Visit
Sources
- 1.Grotte de Commarque — Wikipedia
- 2.Official site — commarque.com
- 3.La grotte ornée de Comarque à Sireuil (Dordogne) — Gallia Préhistoire
Further reading
- Grotte de Commarque — Don's Maps