Cave discovery dates back 28,000 years

Human remains were placed in bear pits more than 28,000 years ago in the Cussac cave, located in the commune of Buisson-de-Cadouin between Bergerac and Sarlat. The cave contains more than 150 Gravettian engravings and was discovered in 2000 by Marc Delluc, a cook at the Ministry of Defense and an amateur speleologist.

Cave exploration history

The cave was initially excavated in 1950 by a prehistorian who explored the entrance for about ten meters but found nothing. It remained undisturbed for half a century until Delluc and another speleologist returned to the site on September 16, 2000.

Cave structure and engravings

The cave's walls bear more than 150 Gravettian engravings, with the Grand Panel located 310 meters from the entrance containing approximately 130 figures. Specialists noted that almost all the bear bones have disappeared, leaving only claw marks on the walls and several series of bear pits in the clay.

Cave classification and research

The cave was classified as a historic monument on July 3, 2002, barely more than two months after the discovery. Scientific studies have continued since 2009, but the cave's environment, which includes episodic carbon dioxide presence, complicates visits and limits the time spent underground.

Discoverer and legacy

Marc Delluc, who died suddenly on December 3, 2017, at 60 years old, was recognized by the Ministry of Culture as the discoverer of the decorated Cussac cave. He was born in 1957 and, despite a career not destined for archaeology, acted professionally by reporting his discovery and allowing specialists to take over.