Dating the landscape evolution around the Chauvet-Pont d’Arc cave

A groundbreaking study has revealed that the Pont d'Arc natural arch, a prominent feature near the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Chauvet-Pont d’Arc cave in France, formed between 108 and 138 thousand years ago (ka). This discovery, derived from uranium-series and electron spin resonance dating techniques, predates the first known human presence in the Chauvet Cave by at least 24 thousand years. The research reconstructs a critical segment of the landscape surrounding the cave during the Upper Paleolithic period, offering insights into the physical and cultural context of one of humanity's earliest known artistic expressions. This finding challenges previous assumptions about the timing of landscape formation relative to human occupation, providing a deeper understanding of the interplay between natural geological processes and human activity in this significant archaeological site.

Genuite, K., Delannoy, J.-J., Bahain, J.-J., Gresse, M., Jaillet, S., Philippe, A., Pons-Branchu, E., Revil, A., & Voinchet, P. (2021). Dating the landscape evolution around the Chauvet-Pont d’Arc cave. Scientific Reports, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-88240-5