Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Poisson shelter is an adorned rock shelter located in the valley of Gorge d'Enfer, on the right bank of the Vézère, at the Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil (Dordogne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine). It is famous for its salmon carved in bas-relief on the ceiling, dated the Gravettien (upper Paleolithic, around 25,000 years B.C.E.). This 1.05 m long fish represents a becquart salmon, a rare species in parietal art. The site, discovered in 1892 by Paul Girod, was almost looted before being protected by Denis Peyrony, who confirmed Aurignacian and gravelite levels.

The engraved salmon, enhanced with red pigment, illustrates a spawning scene, showing prehistoric river fishing practices. Only about ten representations of fish are known in paleolithic parietal art, making this work one of the oldest in the world. The shelter, classified as a Historic Monument in 1913 and registered with UNESCO in 1979, is close to other major sites such as Laugerie-Basse and the Grand Roc Cave, in a valley rich in remains.

The Poisson shelter is inseparable from the Lartet shelter, located beside it, with which it shares a common archaeological history. The excavations revealed tools (lames, sagaies, pierced sticks) and trimmings, confirming an intense human occupation during the Paleolithic period. In 1912, Jean Marsan identified the sculpted fish, saved in extremis from an attempted flight — the holes around the figure are still visible today. The site remains private property, open to scientific research and limited visits.

The Gorge d'Enfer valley contains several prehistoric shelters, including the Grand Abri (above Lartet) and the Ear of Hell shelter, less than 100 m away. These sites, linked to the Vézère valley, form an exceptional ensemble for the study of paleolithic art and lifestyles. The rarity of fish representations in parietal art (1% of the bestiary) underscores the importance of Eyzie salmon, possibly linked to rituals or food symbolism.

Since 1979, the Poisson shelter has been one of the 15 prehistoric sites and caves adorned with the Vézère Valley classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This international label devotes its universal value to sites such as Lascaux and Les Combarelles. Despite its reputation, the site receives few visitors (1,000 in 2004), thus preserving its integrity for ongoing research.

External links