Grotte d'Aldène, Prehistoric cave system in Cesseras, France
Grotte d'Aldène is a cave system with four distinct levels where the walls contain ancient engravings from the Upper Paleolithic period. The cave also shows traces of fire use, footprints, and other signs of long-term human presence.
Excavations from 1971 to 1991 revealed that humans returned to this site repeatedly over 350,000 years. The layers in the cave tell the story of continuous human presence spanning many millennia.
The engravings found here depict rhinoceros and bears, animals that early inhabitants saw in their surroundings and likely found significant in their lives. These carved images offer a window into what mattered to people thousands of years ago.
Visitors must enter the cave with a professional guide because the passages are complex and the prehistoric artworks need protection. It is wise to wear comfortable shoes with good grip and be prepared for tight spaces and uneven surfaces.
From 1888 to 1937, the cave was mined for phosphate deposits that were sold as agricultural fertilizer under the brand name minervite. This industrial chapter left its mark on the cave and is part of its layered past.
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