An extraordinary subaquatic portal to our prehistoric past that houses the world’s only underwater entrance to ancient cave drawings.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to explore a prehistoric cave that is submerged underwater? Well, it might not be easy, unless you are a professional driver. But even so, you might be interested in learning about the amazing Cosquer Cave, a unique archaeological site that reveals the art and life of ancient humans who lived in the region of Marseille, France, almost 30,000 years ago.
The Cosquer Cave is a rare and precious testimony of the creativity and spirituality of ancient humans who lived in Europe during the Upper Paleolithic. The cave art reveals their relationship with nature and their environment, as well as their beliefs and rituals. It also shows their artistic skills and techniques, such as engraving, painting, stenciling, and shading.
The entrance to the cave is located underwater, about 37 meters below sea level, and can only be accessed by experienced divers. The cave is named after professional diver Henri Cosquer, who discovered it by accident in 1985 while exploring the underwater caves in the region.
While out diving one day, Cosquer noticed a small opening in the rock and decided to investigate. He found himself in a large, underwater cave with stalactites and stalagmites, as well as a series of paintings on the walls. He returned several times to explore the cave and document its contents.
In his account of his discovery at the end of 1991, he recounts having traversed the 175 m bored of the light-accessed casing of a flashlight and being first taken out in the cave at the end of the summer of 1985, without noticing anything. He returned a second time a few days later, but ran out of light after a few minutes, when he had just walked in the open air in the cavity. He thus found himself in the most complete darkness, unable to locate himself in a cave with a complex topography and which he barely knew.
Stuck by the fear of never being able to find the exit before the exhaustion of his air reserve, he turned to the spout and ended up as best he can to make the path upside down and see the light at the end of the tunnel. A fear that would keep him away from the cave for several years before returning to it in the early 1990s, according to his account.
In July 1991, however, Cosquer decided to return to the cave with friends and diving club instructors Cendrine Cosquer (his niece), Yann Gogan, and Pascale Oriol. During this dive, they conducted a more detailed exploration of the dry section of the cave. Yann Gogan noticed a hand-like outline on a wall, leading Pascale Oriol to suggest the possibility of a cave painting. This unexpected discovery prompted the “team of four” to return and actively search for more traces. Over several dives in July and August 1991, they uncovered cave paintings and documented them through films and photos.
On September 1, 1991, a tragic accident occurred in the cave, resulting in the loss of three divers from Grenoble who couldn’t locate the exit in the 175-meter access gallery. It was only two days after this incident that Cosquer finally reported the cave to the local authorities.
The Cosquer cave contains various prehistoric rock art engravings and paintings that date back to two different periods: the Gravettian (27,000-19,000 years ago) and the Solutrean (19,000-17,000 years ago). The cave art depicts animals such as horses, bison, ibex, deer, aurochs, and megaceros, as well as marine creatures such as seals, auks, fish, jellyfish, and octopi.
The cave also contains numerous handprints and geometric signs that may have symbolic meanings.
The Cosquer Cave is unique because it is the only decorated cave whose entrance opens under the sea. This is due to the fact that the sea level rose significantly after the last Ice Age, flooding the entrance and part of the cave. The cave was originally located on dry land, near the shore of the Mediterranean Sea, and was used by ancient humans as a shelter and a place for ritual activities.
The place is also a fascinating example of how natural phenomena can affect archaeological sites. The rising sea level has preserved part of the cave from vandalism and erosion, but it has also damaged some of the art and threatened its conservation. The cave is constantly monitored by scientists who study its climate, geology, biology, and archaeology.
To visit the cave, you need to be a certified diver with advanced skills and equipment. You also need to obtain a special authorization from the French Ministry of Culture, which is in charge of protecting and studying the cave. The access to the cave is strictly regulated and limited to scientific purposes only. No public visits are allowed.
The dive to the cave is challenging and dangerous. You need to locate the entrance of the cave at -37 meters at the foot of the Pointe de la Voile, near Cap Morgiou. Then you need to follow an ascending gallery that is about 175 meters long and reaches an underground lake. From there, you can enter the dry part of the cave where the art is located. The dive takes about an hour and a half each way.
If you would like to visit the cave but are not an archaeologist or a professional driver, we have some good news for you! An ‘underwater’ replica of the Cosquer Cave in the Villa Méditerranée in Marseille has opened recently and it can be explored on board exploratory vehicles!
The Cosquer Cave is a unique underwater adventure that offers a glimpse into a hidden world of prehistoric art and culture. It is a place where history, art, and nature meet in a spectacular way.
Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6