Up to now, nearly 340 caves have been discovered in Spain and France that display art from prehistoric times. Almost 20,000 years younger to the oldest cave of Europe ‘Cave of El Castillo’ of Cantabria, Spain, the Lascaux caves located in Montignac, southwestern France, hold some of the most exquisite paintings and engravings of the Upper Paleolithic art (Ice Age art).

The Lascaux cave complex, discovered in 1940, was opened to the public in 1948 and Lascaux II, 200 metres from the initial discovery, in 1983. Comprising of abstract symbols, human and animal figures, the caves are bedecked with nearly 2,000 drawings including bison, cattle, horses, stags, bears, felines, birds and rhinos. These drawings were made with mineral pigments and occasionally engraved in stone: however, despite regular preservation, exposure to air conditioning, tourists’ breath and strong lighting is adversely effecting on these priceless finds. — M.S.K