Timeline

Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The cave adorned with the Dérouine, also known as the cave Mayenne-Sciences, is a prehistoric cave located in Thorigné-en-Charnie, in the department of Mayenne, in the Pays de la Loire region. It belongs to the Group of the Caves of Saulges and has been listed as a historical monument since 1970. This site is remarkable for its parietal figurations, including drawings and engravings dating from the Upper Paleolithic period, more precisely from the gravel period (about 24,500 years before the present).

The presence of prehistoric remains under the porch of La Dérouine was known since the 19th century, with excavations conducted by Gatien Chaplain-Duparc in 1876. However, it was only in 1967 that the Mayenne-Sciences speleological section, led by Roger Bouillon, discovered access to the main cavity, revealing a parietal art ensemble. The cave, 60 meters long, consists of four enfilade rooms, whose ceilings allow to stand. It houses 59 representations, including 16 animal figures (horses, mammoths, bison), 19 signs, and 12 red digital tracks.

Research carried out on the site, notably by Romain Pigeaud, has enabled the works to date through carbon 14 and to place them in a wider regional and stylistic context. The Mayenne-Sciences Cave is a rare example of parietal art in northern France, offering a valuable testimony to the artistic and cultural practices of the prehistoric populations of this region. It is part of a network of caves decorated in northern France, including sites in Normandy, Burgundy, and Essonne.

The cave was classified as historic monuments by decree of 25 March 1970, thus recognizing its heritage importance. Subsequent studies, including archeometric analyses and 3D surveys, have deepened understanding of this exceptional site. Today, the Mayenne-Sciences Cave remains a major study object for researchers in prehistory and parietal art.

In addition to its scientific interest, the cave illustrates the cultural and artistic links between the prehistoric populations of western France and other regions, such as Quercy. Discoveries in the cave, as well as in other nearby cavities such as the cellar in Margot, enrich our knowledge of human occupations and their artistic expressions during the Upper Paleolithic.

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