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Origin and history

The Cuzoul des Brassconnies cave is a prehistoric cave in the Lot, in the municipality of Blars, Occitanie. It was discovered in the early 19th century and explored by several archaeologists, including Édouard-Alfred Martel in 1890. His excavations, carried out by Armand Viré and Countess Georgina Murat from 1923 onwards, revealed vestiges dating from the Hallstatt period (900-500 B.C.), such as pottery studs and an iron spear.

The cave consists of an erosion funnel leading to an antechamber and a large room, called room Georgina, connected to a lower room by a vertical well. In 1963, rock paintings were discovered by the Speleo-club of Saint-Céré, although their dating remains debated: Michel Lorblanchet attributes them to the Upper Paleolithic, while Abbé Glory places them rather at the age of metals, probably during the hallstattian period.

The cave was listed as a historical monument on 14 April 1994 for its archaeological remains and prehistoric interest. Its proximity to the cave adorned with the Pech Merle, in the valley of Cele, reinforces its importance in the study of ancient human occupations in Quercy. The fragments of pottery bearing protohistoric inscriptions discovered by Dr. Cadiergues also testify to his occupation during the Iron Age.

The successive excavations highlighted an intense Gaulish occupation, marked by everyday objects and traces of parietal art. Despite its repeated exploration, the cave retains mysteries, especially about the exact origin of its paintings and their connection to the local cultures of the time. Today, its access remains restricted, thus preserving its archaeological integrity.

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