Dating the landscape evolution around the Chauvet-Pont d'Arc cave

Area of Science:

• Archaeological Science
• Geochronology
• Paleoenvironmental Reconstruction

Background:

• Chauvet Cave, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is situated in the Ardèche Gorge, France.
• Understanding the relationship between physical and cultural settings is crucial in archaeological research.
• The Pont d'Arc is a prominent natural arch within the meander cutoff of the Ardèche Gorge, near Chauvet Cave.

Purpose of the Study:

• To reconstruct the Upper Paleolithic landscape of the Pont d'Arc meander cutoff.
• To determine the formation date of the Pont d'Arc natural arch.
• To establish the chronological relationship between the arch's formation and human occupation of Chauvet Cave.

Main Methods:

• Uranium-series dating
• Electron spin resonance (ESR) analysis
• Geochronological dating of the Pont d'Arc formation

Main Results:

• The Pont d'Arc meander cutoff was fully formed between 108,000 and 138,000 years ago.
• The natural arch predates the Upper Paleolithic period and the earliest known human presence in Chauvet Cave (dated to 37,000 calibrated years BP).

Conclusions:

• The Pont d'Arc natural arch formed significantly before humans inhabited Chauvet Cave.
• This dating provides crucial context for the paleoenvironmental conditions surrounding Chauvet Cave during the Upper Paleolithic.
• The study enhances our understanding of the landscape accessible to early human societies in the Ardèche region.