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Chauvet Cave
On 18th December 1994, three cavers were inspecting sites in the Ardeche, southern France, when they came across the hidden entrance to an underground cavern. Inside, they picked out traces of colour on the cave pictures of a mammoth, a huge bear, rhinoceroses and lions. Here, in this hidden network of underground caverns, was a collection of 300 wall paintings, and traces of occupation dating back 30,000 years. They are the oldest examples of prehistoric art ever found - some 15,000 years older than those at Lascaux - and the cave had remained undisturbed for so long that the even the footprints in the floor were those of Stone Age man. This book recounts this discovery and presents a series of photographs of the cave paintings. The images are particulary impressive in terms of the techniques used to present perspective and many figures interact with each other; some are staggered; others are drawn on bulges in the cave wall to further suggest depth. An epilogue by Jean Clottes, a prehistoric art specialist, provides an analysis of the paintings, and sets them in context. Now that the cave is closed to the public, this book provides an opportunity to view the paintings at first hand, revealing the mastery of our Stone Age ancestors.
136 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 1995
About the author
Paul G. Bahn
125 books46 followersPaul G. Bahn is a British archaeologist, translator, writer and broadcaster who has published extensively on a range of archaeological topics, with particular attention to prehistoric art. He is a contributing editor to Archaeology magazine.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
October 2, 2007
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.
January 13, 2023
First popular account of the discovery of the cave art in the Ardeche River gorge, by the three cavers who discovered it. Two men and a woman, all local residents on vacation, found the cave art at the end of 1994, photographed it in 1995, and Abrams published their account and photos in 1996. Abrams did their usual fine job of printing and binding.
The cave was carefully explored (no shoes in sensitive areas, plastic-covered walkways for official visitors) and was closed to public entry, learning from the lessons at Lascaux Cave, where the ancient paintings were damaged by too many visitors. As at Lascaux and Altamira, a facsimile of the Lascaux paintings was constructed nearby. Details: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chauvet...
Not to be missed, if you have any interest in Paleolithic art. And make no mistake: even though these paintings are 30,000 years old, some of the painters were really, really good. And the insights into Ice Age animals is priceless, especially since most of the animals pictured were later driven extinct by early hunters.
Note this book has an alternate title, "Chauvet Cave."
The cave was carefully explored (no shoes in sensitive areas, plastic-covered walkways for official visitors) and was closed to public entry, learning from the lessons at Lascaux Cave, where the ancient paintings were damaged by too many visitors. As at Lascaux and Altamira, a facsimile of the Lascaux paintings was constructed nearby. Details: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chauvet...
Not to be missed, if you have any interest in Paleolithic art. And make no mistake: even though these paintings are 30,000 years old, some of the painters were really, really good. And the insights into Ice Age animals is priceless, especially since most of the animals pictured were later driven extinct by early hunters.
Note this book has an alternate title, "Chauvet Cave."
January 6, 2019
There should be a word for the feeling you get when a book (or any piece of art) transports you to another place and time. It has to be one of the most incredible confluence of emotions humankind can experience, yet I don’t think we have an adequate way to communicate that rush of emotions.
This book, an oversized coffee table book loaded with gigantic color photographs, took me two places at once.
The simple text had be transported back to Southern France in late 1994, entering the Chauvet Cave with Jean-Marie Chauvet and his team of explorers, carefully and slowly moving through the cave, anticipation building, excitement swelling. I could feel their elation. I could feel their exhaustion. I could feel their frustration at the limits of their bodies and equipment. I completely understood how hours after returning home, they trekked right back to the cave to see it all again. I looked at each picture in the book five times, then immediately searched for Werner Herzog’s documentary film about the cave, so I too could go back in.
At the same time, I was transported back 30,000+ years - in my mind, watching early humans paint with such remarkable skill and mastery. Wishing I could step outside of the caves and see the mammoths, aurochs, bison, and horses they painted on those cave walls. Pretty sure I don’t want to see the bears, lions, panthers, or hyenas.
I often say to my students that what separates humans from the other creatures we share the planet with is the desire/need to create things just for the sake of beauty. If that’s what being human is, humans were being human long before my little brain can comprehend.
How I wish I could have stood there and watched - whoever it was - as they painted on those cave walls. The running bison, rhinos in action, the lions on the prowl, the lone owl standing guard, the shading of the horses... the negative handprints and just thinking about who stood there so long ago and left their mark.
The lone picture of a bison, turned towards you, with beautiful shading and unbelievable simplicity will haunt me forever. It’s looking right at you.
How I wish I could have been there when Jean-Marie Chauvet and his friends saw this for the first time.
Thanks to this book, I feel as if I was.
This book, an oversized coffee table book loaded with gigantic color photographs, took me two places at once.
The simple text had be transported back to Southern France in late 1994, entering the Chauvet Cave with Jean-Marie Chauvet and his team of explorers, carefully and slowly moving through the cave, anticipation building, excitement swelling. I could feel their elation. I could feel their exhaustion. I could feel their frustration at the limits of their bodies and equipment. I completely understood how hours after returning home, they trekked right back to the cave to see it all again. I looked at each picture in the book five times, then immediately searched for Werner Herzog’s documentary film about the cave, so I too could go back in.
At the same time, I was transported back 30,000+ years - in my mind, watching early humans paint with such remarkable skill and mastery. Wishing I could step outside of the caves and see the mammoths, aurochs, bison, and horses they painted on those cave walls. Pretty sure I don’t want to see the bears, lions, panthers, or hyenas.
I often say to my students that what separates humans from the other creatures we share the planet with is the desire/need to create things just for the sake of beauty. If that’s what being human is, humans were being human long before my little brain can comprehend.
How I wish I could have stood there and watched - whoever it was - as they painted on those cave walls. The running bison, rhinos in action, the lions on the prowl, the lone owl standing guard, the shading of the horses... the negative handprints and just thinking about who stood there so long ago and left their mark.
The lone picture of a bison, turned towards you, with beautiful shading and unbelievable simplicity will haunt me forever. It’s looking right at you.
How I wish I could have been there when Jean-Marie Chauvet and his friends saw this for the first time.
Thanks to this book, I feel as if I was.
November 9, 2014
DAWN OF ART - Imagine spelunking in France, stumbling upon a cave filled with wondrous charcoal and ocher paintings, later realizing the environment had remained untouched for 30,000 years! The book, entitled ‘Dawn of Art: The Chauvet Cave’, includes over 100 pages of stunning photographs of this magnificent art. The writer in me finds imagining the lives of our early human ancestors--their life struggles, obvious spiritually and amazing talents--absolutely enthralling. This discovery led archeologists and historians to reformulate theories of the evolution of human art. At different times, the caves seemed to have been dwelled by humans, as well as cave bears. For a related post, check out ‘The Cave of Forgotten Dreams’, go visit my blog.
http://chadschimke.blogspot.com/2011/...
http://chadschimke.blogspot.com/2011/...
July 22, 2019
We bought this book to read up on Chauvet Caves after we took a tour of the Grotte Chauvet 2. It’s an interesting read for anyone wanting to know about the discovery of the caves by the three speleologists.
February 12, 2019
I mostly looked at the pictures...but they were good pictures.
September 21, 2010
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 caves of southern France, northern Spain and other places), its longevity implies a Paleolithic culture as consistent as the climate was inconstant. Think about it. About 2300 years separate us from the foundational culture of Greece. Paleolithic cave art persisted for almost nine times as long.
January 13, 2023
Note that this book was published in the US as "Dawn of Art" and that's the edition I read and reviewed: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Odd and confusing title change. SFAICT, the two editions are identical except for the title & cover art.
Odd and confusing title change. SFAICT, the two editions are identical except for the title & cover art.
June 21, 2020
As 1994 was coming to an end, three spelunkers who enjoyed investigating ever cave, creavase, and hillside hollow in the Ardeche gorge , made a discovery that stunned the paleoarchaeological art community.
The foreword of this coffee-table sized book discussed paleolithic art, the different styles or cycles, the dating of paleo art which has gotten more accurate and precise, determining actual paleolithic art from fraudulent pieces.
The book, published 2 years after the discovery, tells the tale of the discovery, the care taken by each of these individuals to preserve any archaeological findings - like maintaining a single set of footprints and staying away from the walls to prevent any disturbance or damage to objects in the detritus as well as any foot or hand prints. Using lamps that emit little to no smoke. Not touching anything in order to avoid possible contamination. And then contacting the government regarding the discovery who worked quickly to take possession and provide protection.
Many of the bones within the cavern as well as artworks - predominately in black, red and white with some yellow - are covered with a film of clear calcite or calcite tinted orange or white. Tiny flakes of paint from 3 separate pieces have been radiocarbon-dated between 30-32,ooo years before present with a second group which painted over some of the earlier pieces were dated utilizing charcoal samples and torch marks within 24-27,000 BP.
The themes of the paintings are either what is determined to be signs - lines and dots - as well as positive and negative hand-prints and animals. By frequency, the animals portrayed are rhinoceros, lions, mammoths, horses, bison, bears and reindeer with aurochs, ibex (including an ibex skull), magaceros stags, deer, several undetermined animals along with the only examples of an owl and panther.
Lavishly illustrated with many, many detailed photographs that can give only hints of the beauty being displayed on the walls. Thankfully, the descriptions next to each photo details what animal, direction it's facing as well as other details. After a while, the reader's eyes will become familiar enough that you can 'see' these graceful and powerful paintings.
Note that this cave system and the art within is not open to the public. Due to the care of the discovers as well as the archaeological community of France, Chauvet is being protected and under an international team that is currently investigating while preserving the fragile artworks.
2020-115
The foreword of this coffee-table sized book discussed paleolithic art, the different styles or cycles, the dating of paleo art which has gotten more accurate and precise, determining actual paleolithic art from fraudulent pieces.
The book, published 2 years after the discovery, tells the tale of the discovery, the care taken by each of these individuals to preserve any archaeological findings - like maintaining a single set of footprints and staying away from the walls to prevent any disturbance or damage to objects in the detritus as well as any foot or hand prints. Using lamps that emit little to no smoke. Not touching anything in order to avoid possible contamination. And then contacting the government regarding the discovery who worked quickly to take possession and provide protection.
Many of the bones within the cavern as well as artworks - predominately in black, red and white with some yellow - are covered with a film of clear calcite or calcite tinted orange or white. Tiny flakes of paint from 3 separate pieces have been radiocarbon-dated between 30-32,ooo years before present with a second group which painted over some of the earlier pieces were dated utilizing charcoal samples and torch marks within 24-27,000 BP.
The themes of the paintings are either what is determined to be signs - lines and dots - as well as positive and negative hand-prints and animals. By frequency, the animals portrayed are rhinoceros, lions, mammoths, horses, bison, bears and reindeer with aurochs, ibex (including an ibex skull), magaceros stags, deer, several undetermined animals along with the only examples of an owl and panther.
Lavishly illustrated with many, many detailed photographs that can give only hints of the beauty being displayed on the walls. Thankfully, the descriptions next to each photo details what animal, direction it's facing as well as other details. After a while, the reader's eyes will become familiar enough that you can 'see' these graceful and powerful paintings.
Note that this cave system and the art within is not open to the public. Due to the care of the discovers as well as the archaeological community of France, Chauvet is being protected and under an international team that is currently investigating while preserving the fragile artworks.
2020-115
October 5, 2019
4.5 stars. I had issues with this book, some of which were my expectations of it. I was expecting an explanation of the artistry for the layman. What I got instead was an account applauding the discoverers and what felt like was the assumption that I knew about other prehistoric caves and art. I don’t. I’m a scientist but was drawn by the magnitude of the whole thing. As I finished the book I realized that it was published relatively quickly after the discovery so deeper analysis has not yet been made.
So why 4.5 stars? The pictures. They are simply amazing. I was ready to write this off as being over-hyped because I’m not an artist and don’t understand the nuances of art. I’m glad I kept going because they kept getting more and more amazing. With simple lines these artist evoke feelings of wonder and amazement that is amplified when I try to comprehend how long ago they were made.
In short, pick up this book. Read the words or not. It doesn’t matter. Just look at the amazing pictures of the mind blowing art.
So why 4.5 stars? The pictures. They are simply amazing. I was ready to write this off as being over-hyped because I’m not an artist and don’t understand the nuances of art. I’m glad I kept going because they kept getting more and more amazing. With simple lines these artist evoke feelings of wonder and amazement that is amplified when I try to comprehend how long ago they were made.
In short, pick up this book. Read the words or not. It doesn’t matter. Just look at the amazing pictures of the mind blowing art.
September 28, 2019
There's something magical about this cave art. Knowing that they were created thousands of years ago - under conditions we really can't know much about. How can primitive art create such a strong, emotional response? I don't know the answer.
I was also surprised to learn that the people who discovered the cave almost had that achievement stolen from them by a government official. They fought to set the record straight and were ultimately successful. Yay!
I don't keep many books on my tiny shelf, but I do keep this one and look at it from time to time. Maybe it was one of my ancestors who drew those images. Maybe it was one of yours. Maybe it was our shared ancestor. The images link us all to our earliest ancestors. They're magical. They say: this is the bull that I saw. This is my hand. This is the owl near our home.
I was also surprised to learn that the people who discovered the cave almost had that achievement stolen from them by a government official. They fought to set the record straight and were ultimately successful. Yay!
I don't keep many books on my tiny shelf, but I do keep this one and look at it from time to time. Maybe it was one of my ancestors who drew those images. Maybe it was one of yours. Maybe it was our shared ancestor. The images link us all to our earliest ancestors. They're magical. They say: this is the bull that I saw. This is my hand. This is the owl near our home.
August 26, 2019
Interesting story about the discovery of some of the oldest cave paintings known to man, these around 30K years old. There are many good pictures, interspersed with the story of the day it was discovered. You can get pretty good information about this particular cave on wikipedia, and there is a website with a walk-through of the cave that is pretty cool. But the book is worth a flip though to see some stunning paintings and imagine what it would be like to be the first person to step foot in such an incredible place in maybe 15K years.
February 7, 2020
This is an absolutely fascinating book about the oldest cave paintings yet discovered in the Chauvet Cave in Southeast France. The photos are superb and the comments on each one are wonderful! This book was published in 1996, a few short years after the discovery of these cave paintings, so, there are probably many updates on the information. Still, there are the great photos and an exciting account of the discovery by one of the discoverers.
November 29, 2022
The photographs are very detailed and comprehensive. Chauvet's account is informative as regards the adventurous spirit and technical process that led to the discovery of the caves. Herzog's movie is still essential because the moving camera captures the three-dimensionality of the cave art that is severely flattened by still photography.
December 19, 2025
Perfect. Good quality photos, about the discovery, handling, and basic data collection. Doesn't go into hypotheses about how maybe they worshipped or were high or were sacrificing, no no no, just about the art itself and the people who made it and found it.
September 13, 2022
Unforgettable close-up pictures of the Chauvet cave paintings, but the same can't be said of the explorers' account of their discovery.
October 1, 2025
skimmed w/ lily. super fun!
February 5, 2012
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. Better than bungee jumping.
September 2, 2016
Mind blowing. Seriously, can't even imagine what it was like to discover these amazing works of art and spend time in the cave before going public with the discovery. Reading their account gives an inkling to what they experienced but one can never know the exhilaration that must have swept over each one of them as they devoured these scenes with their eyes for the first time in nearly 30,000 years. The photos are excellent and numerous. Highly recommend reading this book and not just consuming the photos. Wow.
March 30, 2017
Lovely photos of amazing cave paintings! The narrative is not the main point of the book, but it does show the great care, passion, and professionalism of those who originally discovered these paintings and worked so hard to protect them and bring them under proper scientific study. To gaze at these paintings is to look into minds just like ours... only they happened to live 30,000 years ago! Mind-blowing...
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March 15, 2026Guy (me) who got a little too emotional while reading this book...
How silly would it sound if I said the Chauvet Cave bear drawing is my favorite piece of art, possibly ever? Because it is. It moves me every time I think about it and leaves me speechless whenever I see it. It was absolutely delightful to read about the experience of discovering that wonderful art gallery, and it was also absolutely delightful to get to look at those drawings once again.
How silly would it sound if I said the Chauvet Cave bear drawing is my favorite piece of art, possibly ever? Because it is. It moves me every time I think about it and leaves me speechless whenever I see it. It was absolutely delightful to read about the experience of discovering that wonderful art gallery, and it was also absolutely delightful to get to look at those drawings once again.
September 1, 2011
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.
August 29, 2012
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."
April 23, 2012
I've been very obsessed with the Chauvet Cave since watching "Cave of Forgotten Dreams".
December 9, 2018
Documents the famous art and anthropological find. The high gloss photos capture the texture of hand painted rock. Amazing stuff.
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February 19, 2022Superb !!! Tells us so, so much about our ancestors. And the pictures are enthralling.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews