The Land of Painted Caves

"The Land of Painted Caves" is the final novel in Jean M. Auel's Earth's Children series, which explores the lives of Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons during the Ice Age. The book concludes the story of Ayla, a Cro-Magnon woman, as she establishes a new family life with her mate Jondalar and their daughter.1

The series delves into the differences between Neanderthal and Cro-Magnon societies through Ayla's experiences. While the book focuses on the characters' lives, the broader context of the series involves prehistoric Europe, a time when cave art was also being created. This ancient art, found in caves across Europe and other parts of the world, includes paintings and engravings dating back tens of thousands of years.12