Researchers have discovered that some of the black figures in the Pont-de-Gome cave were drawn with charcoal and not just manganese oxides. Tiny samples have made it possible to directly date a drawing of a bison and parts of a figure known as “the mask” Researchers have discovered that some of the black figures in the Pont-de-Gome cave were drawn with charcoal and not just manganese oxides. Tiny samples have made it possible to directly date a drawing of a bison and parts of a figure known as “the mask”
For more than a century, researchers have tried to determine when the impressive figures were painted on the walls of a cave. Pont-de-Gome in southwestern France. Now a research team has been able to directly date some of the paintings, after discovering that the black paint used to create them contains charcoal.
The discovery changes a long-standing assumption. Until now, researchers believed that the black paintings in the caves of Azor Dordogne Made only with manganese and iron oxides. These minerals do not contain carbon, so they cannot be dated using the carbon-14 method.
However, the assumption that the paintings contain no organic material has not been systematically tested. The researchers decided to examine the chemical composition of the paints themselves.
The findings were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
A central cave in the study of prehistoric art
The Pont-de-Gome cave is located near the town of Les Ises in the Dordogne region. It is famous for its hundreds of animal figures and geometric symbols from Paleolithic period The top.
The cave walls feature bison, horses, elk, and mammoths, among other things. Many of the paintings were created through a combination of engraving, paint, and the natural structure of the rock wall.
The cave was discovered by science in the early 20th century and has been studied many times since. However, the exact age of most of the paintings remains unknown.
Researchers have relied primarily on the style of the painting, the archaeological context, and comparisons with works discovered at other sites. These methods can provide an estimate, but do not always allow us to determine exactly when a particular figure was painted.
Searching for coal in the black lines
The research team examined two black figures in the cave. One is a drawing of a bison. The other is a figure known as “the mask,” which can be interpreted as a human face or an animal face.
The researchers used Raman microspectrometry andHyperspectral imagingBoth methods allow materials to be identified by how they react to light, without causing significant damage to the painting.
Hyperspectral imaging collects information across a wide range of wavelengths, making it possible to distinguish between black paint based on manganese oxide and black paint derived from coal.
Tests revealed that some of the black lines contained charcoal. The charcoal appeared consistently along the lines drawn, so the researchers ruled out the possibility that it was accidental contamination, late graffiti, or sediment left by visitors to the cave.
Almost impossible to see specimens
After identifying the charcoal, the researchers received exceptional permission to take tiny samples from the paintings. The samples were very small, to minimize damage to the works.
The amount of material available posed a challenge. Carbon-14 dating Requires isolating and measuring the isotopes remaining in the organic material. The smaller the sample, the greater the susceptibility to contamination and measurement errors.
Despite the difficulty, the researchers were able to date the samples using accelerator mass spectrometry.
The bison painting dates to between 13,461 and 13,162 calibrated years before our era.
The term “before our era” in carbon-14 dating refers to the year 1950. That is, the bison was drawn approximately 13 years ago.
A character created or modified in several stages
The results from the “mask” character were more complex.
The material taken from the upper lip was dated to between 15,981 and 15,121 calibrated years before our era. The lower lip was dated to between 15,297 and 14,246 calibrated years before our era.
In contrast, a sample from the left eye area was much later, dating to between 8,993 and 8,590 years ago.
Most dates confirm that the paintings were created in the Upper Paleolithic period. The later date from the eye area deviates from this picture. It may reflect a later addition, alteration of the painting, contamination, or other process. Further testing is needed to interpret it.
The findings show that it is not necessary to assume that all parts of a complex figure were necessarily painted at the same time. It is possible that the cave walls were used by people at different times, and that existing figures were modified or details were added to them.
Not every painting can be dated.
The new method does not allow for direct dating of every cave painting. It is only suitable for paints that contain organic material, such as charcoal.
Paintings made entirely of mineral oxides do not contain the carbon needed for testing, so researchers still have to use indirect methods.
However, hyperspectral imaging allows for scanning large areas and identifying in advance which features contain coal. This allows for careful selection of suitable locations for sampling and avoids removing unnecessary material.
The approach could also be used in other caves in the Dordogne. The region is home to hundreds of caves and rock shelters containing prehistoric artifacts, including the famous Lascaux Cave.
This does not guarantee that the Lascaux paintings themselves can be dated. First, it will be necessary to check whether their paints contain the appropriate amount of charcoal.
Building a timeline of cave art
Direct dating of a larger number of paintings may allow researchers to construct a detailed timeline of prehistoric art in the region.
This will allow us to examine which styles appeared together, how long the caves were used, and whether certain figures were added to earlier paintings. The dates may also help link the art to archaeological cultures and changes in human populations.
The study demonstrates how combining non-invasive imaging technologies with a tiny sample can solve questions that were previously impossible to examine. The charcoal was on the cave walls all along. The innovation was in identifying it and proving that a date could be derived from it.
Questions and Answers
What is the main innovation in the research?
This is the first direct carbon-14 dating of paintings in the Pont-de-Gome cave, and one of the first studies to directly date Cave art In the Dordogne region.
Why didn't you date the paintings earlier?
The researchers assumed that the black colors were made solely of manganese oxides. Because these minerals do not contain carbon, they cannot be dated using the carbon-14 method.
How did they discover that the paint contained coal?
The team used Raman microspectrometry and hyperspectral imaging, methods that allow them to distinguish between different types of pigments before taking samples from the wall.
How old is the bison painting?
It dates back to between 13,461 and 13,162 calibrated years before our era.
Why did different parts of the mask receive different dates?
The figure may have been created or modified in several stages. However, further research is needed to determine whether the late date reflects a later addition, contamination, or some other process.
Can the method also be used in the Lascaux Cave?
It is possible, but only if some of the paintings there are found to contain charcoal. Paintings based solely on mineral paints are not suitable for carbon-14 dating.
The scientific article
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