Dating layer 7 35424 ans ± 1140 avant le présent (≈ 1140)
Mussterian bones and tools.
1969 (juillet)
Discovery of bird engraving
Discovery of bird engraving 1969 (juillet) (≈ 1969)
Coast engraved in Magdalenian levels.
1969–1979
Search by Dominique Sacchi
Search by Dominique Sacchi 1969–1979 (≈ 1974)
Discovery of stratigraphic layers.
31 octobre 1989
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 31 octobre 1989 (≈ 1989)
Registration by ministerial decree.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
34000 à 36000 avant le présent
Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of Commerce 34000 à 36000 avant le présent (≈ 3500)
Lithic vestiges and dated bones.
Heritage classified
Prehistoric cave of the Cauna (cad. E 658): inscription by order of 31 October 1989
Key figures
Dominique Sacchi - Archaeologist
Directed the excavations from 1969 to 1979.
Jean-Pierre Clément - Discoverer
Found the bird engraving in 1969.
Origin and history
The Cave of La Cauna, also known as the Cave of La Caune, is a prehistoric site located in Belvis, in the department of Aude (Occitanie). It is located 500 m east of the village, 960 m above sea level, on the north side of the Taillades Creek plain. Its name, attested as early as 1213, comes from the term occitan cauna, designating a cave, whether fortified or not. The site dominates a steep slope, with a south-facing entrance opening onto a large hall ending with a short hose.
The excavations carried out by Dominique Sacchi between 1969 and 1979 revealed a rich stratigraphy, with layers attributed to the upper Magdalenian (layers 1 to 4) and the Chatelperronian (layers 7 to 10, dated between 34,000 and 36,000 years before the present). Layer 7 delivered about 60 Musterian lithic pieces and bones dated to 35,424 years ± 1,140 years. Among the major discoveries is a rib engraved with a sash, discovered in 1969 in the Magdalenian levels, as well as heads of barbed-barbed harpoons typical of Magdalenian VI.
The site is geologically linked to the limestone facies of the lower Cretaceous of the north-eastern Pyrenees. Its foreground and room, covering about 65 m2, were protected by a high vault and enjoyed good brightness. The cave was classified as a historical monument in 1989 for its archaeological importance, illustrating successive human occupations during the Upper Paleolithic period. Wildlife and lithic remains testify to its use as a shelter and a place of life by prehistoric groups.
The toponymy of the site reflects its occitan linguistic anchor, while its location in Sault, at the limit of the Pyrenean and Mediterranean influences, makes it a strategic point for the study of prehistoric human movements. Sterile layers (5 and 6) suggest periods of abandonment or adverse environmental conditions, contrasting with intense occupation of the Chatelperronian and Magdalenian phases.
The art of furniture discovered, especially the bird engraving, is exceptional by its rarity in quaternary art. This representation, interpreted as a large snag with a sinuous neck and legs apart, was studied by Dominique Sacchi and Jean-Pierre Clément. Today it is kept at the Carcassonne excavation depot. Recent research, such as that published in 2020, uses the geochemical characterization of flint tools to trace the roads used by paleolithic groups in the region.
