First discovery of carbon-based cave art in France's Dordogne region could pave way for precise radiocarbon dating

The Dordogne region of southern France is home to over 200 caves decorated with colorful Paleolithic art, but little is known about how old it is. Due to its coloration with iron- or manganese-oxide-based material, radiocarbon dating of the art has not been possible, and it has been generally thought to have been created during the Magdalenian Period, which occurred between 12,000 and 17,000 years ago.

Now, a research team from the Center de Recherche et de Restauration des Musées de France has reported the first discovery of black carbon-based art in Dordogne’s Font-de-Gaume cave, portending new opportunities for both radiocarbon dating and reevaluation of existing art in this cave and others throughout the region.