Editor’s note: This story was originally published on Sept. 12, 2024.
A look back at local, national and world events through Deseret News archives.
On Sept. 12, 1940, the Lascaux cave paintings, estimated to be 17,000 years old, were discovered in southwestern France.
The Grotte de Lascaux is a network caves near Montignac, a village in southwestern France.
As the story goes, four teenage boys were out in the woods when they discovered a hole in the ground, possibly as they were looking for a lost pet dog. As they descended the hole, they encountered what appeared to be very old drawings on some of the cave’s walls.
The caves include as many as 600 wall and ceiling paintings, and historians say the art was drawn over many generations. The paintings represent primarily large and small animals and other flora and fauna.
While visitors cannot tour the actual caves now due to some deterioration, it is a popular tourist draw. Lascaux is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
One concern as Lascaux and other prehistoric sites is the introduction of current pollution and chemicals to the locations. Scientists are wary about how to stop the spread of fungus stains — aggravated by global warming — that cave drawings everywhere.
In Utah and the West, similar challenges have arisen at popular ice caves and other ancient locations like Minnetonka Cave in southern Idaho, Timpanogos Cave in northern Utah and Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico.
Read articles from Deseret News archives about Lascaux, regional caves and the challenges they face today as pollution meets ancient artwork:
“Cave-grafitti cleaners sweep history clean away”
“Ancient skeleton, art found in French cave”
“Scientists meet to discuss saving Lascaux cave from fungus”
“French diver discovers cave; drawings date to 10,000 B.C.”
“Cave etchings in France may be from 28,000 B.C.”
“Minnetonka Cave piques imagination for thousands”
“Time stands still in Idaho’s Minnetonka Cave”
“`Natural freezer beneath desert of Idaho still mystifies visitors”
“Icy visions take root in crevices of frozen lava”
“Timpanogos Cave launches virtual field trips”
“Glorious national park ‘basement’ is science wonderland”
“What to know about Carlsbad Caverns National Park”
“Carlsbad Caverns: Subterranean visit offers visual thrills, natural wonders”
“Snack attack: How a dropped Cheetos bag attacked the Carlsbad Caverns ecosystem”