Grotte préhistorique du Bison
MonumentHidden Treasure
Grotte préhistorique du Bison, located in Meyrals (Dordogne), is a historic monument. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Location
- Meyrals, Dordogne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 44.9305, 1.0715
- Mérimée Reference
- PA24000049
At the heart of the Périgord Noir, the prehistoric Grotte du Bison at Meyrals harbours Palaeolithic remains of rare intensity, bearing witness to a human presence tens of thousands of years old in the Dordogne valley.
History
Nestling in the limestone folds of the Périgord Noir, the Bison de Meyrals cave is one of the most remarkable prehistoric concentrations in Europe. The Dordogne department is the cradle of prehistoric mankind, with hundreds of decorated caves and rock shelters in its valleys. The Grotte du Bison occupies a unique position, revealing traces of occupation and artistic expression characteristic of the Upper Palaeolithic. What sets this site apart is above all the combination of its discreet location and the density of its heritage. Far removed from the mass tourist circuits, the Bison cave offers an authentic plunge into the long history of mankind. The limestone walls, shaped by thousands of years of water seepage, are both the support and the setting for prehistoric occupation, as evidenced by the archaeological material unearthed during the site's surveys and excavations. A visit to the cave is a rare sensory experience: the deep darkness, the constant coolness of the underground air at around 13°C, and the mineral silence interrupted only by the seepage of water create an atmosphere conducive to meditation and contemplation. Here we can appreciate the dizzying distance that separates us from the men of the Palaeolithic, and at the same time their disturbing closeness, demonstrated by the remains they left behind. The surrounding natural setting reinforces this feeling of total immersion. The oak and chestnut forests of the Périgord Noir envelop the site, while the limestone cliffs characteristic of the region form the geological landscape that made possible the emergence and preservation of these exceptional caves dozens of millennia ago.
Architecture
Grotte du Bison is one of the karstic caves dug into the Upper Cretaceous limestone formations that characterise the subsoil of the Périgord Noir. Like most of the caves in the region, it is the result of a gradual dissolution of the rock by seeping water laden with carbon dioxide, a geological process spanning several million years. The walls feature the speleothemic formations typical of this environment: limestone concretions, stalactites, stalagmites and calcite veils that provide both a spectacular natural backdrop and an exceptional conservation environment for archaeological remains. The morphology of the cave, which is probably made up of one or more small to medium-sized galleries (a few dozen to a hundred metres long), has flat or slightly curved walls that are ideal for engraved or painted representations. The quality of the local limestone, which is relatively homogeneous and fine-grained, made it easy for prehistoric artists to work, using flint tools to incise the outlines of animals or hands that had been bleached with ochre and manganese. The natural entrance to the cave, exposed in the characteristic orientation of the Beune cliffs, allowed natural light to penetrate for a few metres, delimiting an entrance area potentially used as a living space or for everyday activities, while the deeper areas, accessible only by the artificial light of torches or grease lamps, were reserved for symbolic and artistic events.
Related Figures
Édouard Lartet — naturaliste et préhistorien, pionnier des fouilles périgordines au XIXe siècleHenry Christy — ethnologue britannique, co-explorateur des sites de la vallée de la Vézère avec LartetDenis Peyrony — préhistorien périgourdin, fondateur du Musée national de Préhistoire des Eyzies, actif dans le recensement des grottes de la régionHenri Breuil — abbé et préhistorien de renommée mondiale, spécialiste de l'art pariétal périgourdinJean Clottes — préhistorien français contemporain, expert mondial de l'art des cavernes et conseiller pour la protection des sites rupestres
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Grotte préhistorique du Bison located?
Grotte préhistorique du Bison is located in Meyrals, Dordogne department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, France.
Is Grotte préhistorique du Bison open to visitors?
Grotte préhistorique du Bison is currently closed to visitors.