Timeline

Heritage classified

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Origin and history

La grotto de Pestillac is a prehistoric cave in the Lot department, in the commune of Montcabrier, in the Occitanie region. It was discovered by chance in October 1998 by Julien Sentis, then a student in Prehistory at the University of Toulouse-Le Mirail. The cave is distinguished by its entrance in rocky porch and a gallery of 90 meters long, narrow and low, housing thirty-nine engravings depicting female figures, horses, a bovide, and signs. These works, comparable to those of Lalinde (Dordogne) and Gönnersdorf (Germany), suggest a dating of the final Magdalenian, confirmed by experts such as Alain Turq and Michel Lorblanchet.

Pestillac Cave is a private property and is not accessible to the public. Despite this, it was listed as historic monuments on February 26, 2010, protecting its soil, basement and all cavities under Parcel C 437. The engravings, although little detailed, offer a rare testimony of the parietal art of this period, with partial animal representations and stylized female figures. The studies carried out by Julien Sentis, published in specialized journals such as the Bulletin de la Société préhistorique française, have made it possible to document and analyse these works, contributing to a better understanding of prehistoric art in southwestern France.

The cave is distinguished by its geographical and archaeological context. Located in an area rich in prehistoric sites, such as Pech Merle, it illustrates the importance of the Lot in the study of the Upper Paleolithic. Its designation as a historic monument underscores its heritage value, despite the limits of access imposed by its private status. The on-site research also highlighted artistic similarities with other European sites, reinforcing its scientific and cultural interest.

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