Lascaux Cave In France, is the most famous prehistoric cave in the world. The cave was discovered in 1940 by four boys who went out to look for their dog that had disappeared in a hole in the ground. Those who entered the hole saw amazing colorful murals of horses, bison, deer and hunting scenes. The boys told the village priest about it, and it was decided to keep it a secret that was kept for only four days. The priest called the cave “The Chapel of Périgord" and made an accurate mapping of the place. Recent studies have determined that they were painted about 17,000 years ago, probably for some unexplained ritual. There is not a single area on the walls that is free from paintings. In 1948, the cave was opened to the general public and lighting, filtration and ventilation work was carried out. The humidity and carbon dioxide from the many visitors damaged the paintings, which were covered with a greenish crust. After 15 years of deterioration, it was decided to close the cave (which did not help stop the deterioration, only slow it down).
The best experts worked on Lascaux 2, who painted copies of the original paintings, stonemasons, surveyors and various planners. Those involved in the work used the same materials and special technological means as those used to build the cave, in order to create an exact copy of every protrusion and depression from the original cave. The task of painting was assigned to the painter Monique Petrel, who used natural colors made from plants and soil, so that they would resemble the original in terms of their shades. Only six people are allowed to enter the original cave each day, most of them scientists, and even they have to wait for permission to enter the cave for months. But don't worry: ordinary tourists without connections can enter the Lascaux 2 cave, which opened about two hundred meters away. Lascaux 2 is a perfect copy of the original cave, and in it you can see an incredibly accurate copy of the rock paintings. The replicas were made using prehistoric techniques and original colors, and although they are not the real thing, visiting the place is an experience not to be missed if you are in the area. The incredibly accurate restoration work took over 20 years!