The discovery of the art in Chauvet Cave in 1994 changed the way we think about prehistoric peoples. Previously scholars had theorized that cave art had gone through stages, beginning immaturely and finally attaining a kind of classic perfection before the end of the ice age around 10,000 years ago. Wrong. Some of the excellent art in Chauvet has been radiocarbon dated to 30,000 to 32,000 years ago. As cave art continued to be practiced for at least 20,000 years (in approximately 350 different c More...

I really enjoyed reading this after watching the Herzog documentary about the caves. While I feel the film gives you a greater "feel" for the caves, the book provided interesting information on the area of France where the caves are located and a quasi-history of cave painting itself. I love how they immediately took steps toward the preservation and care of these caves, but even with that care, deterioriation occurs with every visit. A visit could be a fascinating bucket list item for someone. More...

A stunning coffee table-sized book detailing one of the most remarkable discoveries of the 20th Century. The photographs are amazing, and the first-hand accounts of the discovery are riveting. A perfect companion for the documentary "The Cave of Forgotten Dreams."

I've checked this book out 3X from the library. I took it to share with my (autistic) mother. It is heart renderingly beautiful. Astounding photography. Interesting research. Looking forward to the Werner Herzog movie when released.

I've been very obsessed with the Chauvet Cave since watching "Cave of Forgotten Dreams".

I've only ever heard of Lascaux---Chauvet is way more impressive. Beautiful, sophisticated paintings. Wow.

There's photo of a 3/4 profile of a bull that shifted my entire world. I do not say that lightly, either. The paintings are incredible, transcendent and outrageous. The kinship one feels with the artists is akin to what I understand religious persons feel when communing with their gods. A wonderful book.