⌛ Once thought impossible: these cave paintings in France have been dated

For over a hundred years, the magnificent paintings of the Font-de-Gaume cave have intrigued scientists. Yet a fundamental question remained unanswered: their exact age. No direct dating method had worked.

Archaeologists assumed that the pigments did not contain carbon, making radiocarbon unusable. But a recent study upended this idea. By carefully analyzing the chemical composition of the black drawings, researchers discovered the presence of charcoal, opening a new avenue for dating these prehistoric masterpieces.


Until now, the black pigments of Paleolithic art in the region were thought to be based on iron and manganese oxides. It was believed they contained no organic material, preventing carbon-14 dating. This hypothesis had never been thoroughly verified. Researchers therefore decided to closely examine two figures: a bison and a mask. To do so, they used non-invasive techniques such as Raman microspectrometry and hyperspectral imaging, which allow analysis of composition without damaging the artworks.

These analyses yielded a surprise: traces of charcoal were detected in the black pigments. The charcoal was uniformly present in the strokes of the figures, ruling out modern contamination from visitors or graffiti. This discovery paved the way for direct dating. Scientists therefore requested exceptional permission to take tiny samples. The procedure was delicate, as the available quantities were minuscule, but sufficient for radiocarbon measurements.

The dates obtained confirm that these works belong to the Upper Paleolithic, with ages slightly younger than previous estimates. The bison was painted between 13,461 and 13,162 years before present (cal BP). As for the mask, different parts revealed distinct dates: from 8,993 to 8,590 cal BP, from 15,981 to 15,121 cal BP, and from 15,297 to 14,246 cal BP. This diversity indicates that the mask was created or modified at different times, providing unprecedented information about artistic practices.


This chemical analysis method opens the way for dating other Paleolithic figures in the region. Until now, the cave art of the Dordogne, including that of Lascaux, could not be directly dated. With this technique, researchers hope to build a more precise chronology of cave art, which would allow a better understanding of the evolution of artistic techniques and the movements of prehistoric populations. The study, published in the journal PNAS, marks a turning point in the archaeology of art.

The implications of this discovery extend beyond the Font-de-Gaume site alone. By applying the same approach to other decorated caves, scientists could solve one of the biggest questions of prehistory: the chronology of parietal art. Each new dating will allow linking the works together and with archaeological remains.

Carbon-14 dating

Carbon-14 is a radioactive isotope present in all living beings. When an organism dies, it stops absorbing it, and the amount of carbon-14 slowly decreases at a known rate. By measuring the remaining carbon-14 in a sample, its age can be calculated, up to about 50,000 years.

To date the paintings, organic carbon must be found, such as charcoal. Mineral pigments do not contain it. The discovery of charcoal in the drawings was therefore decisive. Scientists took tiny fragments, then burned them to extract the carbon. This was then analyzed in a particle accelerator.

Results are given in years before present (BP), with calibration accounting for past fluctuations of carbon-14 in the atmosphere. Thus, the obtained dates are reliable and comparable between sites.