Grotte de la Colombière, Prehistoric cave in Jura Mountains, France
The Grotte de la Colombière is a prehistoric cave located along the Ain River in the Jura Mountains at 254 meters elevation. The entrance sits on a slight elevation with a pedestrian path leading to a sheltered porch area.
Excavations began in 1913 when J. Pissot and L. Mayet uncovered nine engraved pebbles and two mammoth bones from the Magdalenian period. The site received protected status as a historical monument in 1946.
The pebbles discovered here display carved images of horses, rhinoceroses, bears, and felines layered over one another. These carvings show how the people living then saw and represented the animals around them.
The cave sits on private land and visiting requires advance permission from the owner. Before planning a visit, it's important to contact the property holder to arrange access and confirm conditions.
A mammoth bone from the cave carries the oldest known human figure from a Paleolithic archaeological context. This carved representation stands out as one of the rarest finds from that distant period.
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