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How old are the cave paintings at Altamira and Lascaux?
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Mural
Detail of Religion, mural in lunette from the Family and Education series by Charles Sprague Pearce, 1897; in the Library of Congress, Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington, D.C.
The cave paintings at Altamira and Lascaux are significant examples of Paleolithic cave art. Their estimated ages are as follows:
- Altamira: While the cave was occupied during the Solutrean and Magdalenian periods, scientific analysis using radiocarbon dating on charcoal pigments indicates that the famous ceiling paintings were created approximately 14,820 to 13,130 years ago.1
- Lascaux: This site is considered more difficult to date precisely. Radiocarbon dating of charcoal samples has provided a date of approximately 17,000 years ago. While the orthodox view suggests the images were created within a few centuries of that date, some specialists argue that the art represents a complex accumulation of work spanning a much longer period.2