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Overview
This study presents radiocarbon dating results for carbon black-based parietal art from Font-de-Gaume cave in the Dordogne region of southwestern France. Prior documentation of Paleolithic parietal art in this region identified only mineral-based colorants. The research identifies and dates carbon black figures, specifically a bison figure and a mask-like human or animal face representation, thereby establishing direct chronological constraints on these artworks.
Methods and approach
Reflectance imaging spectroscopy was employed to distinguish noninvasively between manganese-based and carbon-based black pigments in parietal representations. Two figures composed of carbon black were selected for radiocarbon dating: a bison figure located in the public area near the Carrefour, and a mask figure in the remote lateral gallery sector. Sampling procedures were conducted with consideration of potential contamination from extraneous carbon sources given the typically small amount of pigment material available in parietal contexts.
Key Findings
The bison figure yielded a radiocarbon date of 13461-13162 calBP. The mask figure produced multiple dates from different anatomical features: 8993-8590 calBP from the left eye, 15981-15121 calBP from the upper lip, and 15297-14246 calBP from the lower lip. Three of the four measurements are consistent with Paleolithic age attribution, though one date from the left eye is notably more recent than anticipated.
Implications
The successful direct dating of carbon black-based parietal art in Font-de-Gaume cave demonstrates the viability of radiocarbon analysis on these specific pigment types and supports the Paleolithic age of the examined representations. The methodology establishes a framework for systematic chronological investigation of additional parietal art in the cavern. The findings highlight that carbon black-based figures constitute a previously underrecognized component of Paleolithic artistic expression in the Dordogne region, warranting renewed archaeological survey and analysis of carbon-based parietal materials across southwestern French cave sites.
Disclosure
- Research title: Radiocarbon dating and chemical imaging of carbon black–based Paleolithic cave art in the Dordogne region (France)
- Authors: Ina Reiche, Laurent Beck, Ingrid Caffy, Yvan Coquinot, Matthias Alfeld, Anne Maigret, José Tapia, Marc Martinez, Anthony Lescale, P. Paillet
- Institutions: CEA Paris-Saclay, Centre de recherche et de restauration des musées de France, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives, Delft University of Technology, Histoire Naturelle de l’Homme Préhistorique, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Laboratoire de Mesure du Carbone 14, Nation University, Université Paris-Saclay
- Publication date: 2026-03-09
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2524751123
- OpenAlex record: View
- Image credit: Photo by Barnabas Davoti on Pexels (Source • License)
- Disclosure: This post was generated by Claude (Anthropic). The original authors did not write or review this post.
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