Hidden charcoal reveals the true age of ancient cave paintings

calendar_today July 28, 2026 schedule 11:16 visibility 3 views

Source: Science Daily

A new analysis has precisely dated paintings in France’s Font-de-Gaume cave for the first time. Scientists discovered charcoal inside black pigments once thought to contain only minerals, allowing them to use radiocarbon dating. The results show that a bison was painted about 13,000 years ago, while sections of a mask-like figure were added during several widely separated periods.

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Hidden charcoal reveals the true age of ancient cave paintings

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