Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Labattut, located in the valley of the Rocks in Sergeac (Dordogne), is part of the prehistoric site of Castel Merle, a group of occupied rock shelters of the Upper Paleolithic (between -35 000 and -10 000 years). This valley, dominated by two cliffs less than 100 metres apart, houses six shelters per cliff, including Labattut, Reverdit and Blanchard, which were excavated in the early 20th century. The natural collapses of the vaults preserved exceptional archaeological layers, revealing flint tools, trimmings and furniture art.

Labattut is named after his former owner. Acquired in 1911 by L. Didon, it was searched by Marcel Castanet until 1914. The discoveries include a lithic industry, carved blocks (horses, mammoths) and painted (cerf, bison, hand in negative), as well as a child skeleton decorated with pearls and shells. Ranked a historic monument in 1931, its remains were studied by Brigitte and Gilles Delluc (CNRS publication, 1991), reconstructing the history of excavations through the Castanet archives.

The site of Castel Merle, sometimes called "Vallon des Roches", is located on the left bank of the Vézère, a major valley for prehistory, close to Lascaux (8 km) and Les Eyzies (19 km). It is occupied successively by the Neanderthalians (Wonderful Shelters, Blanchard II) and then by Homo sapiens (Cro-Magnon), and reveals Aurignacian, gravetienne, solutrene and magdalenian occupations. Better exposed shelters, such as Labattut, Reverdit or the Soquette, delivered thousands of flint, carved blocks and ivory or shell trimmings.

Excavations of the Labattut shelter revealed pebbles and fragmentary wall paintings, including a deer and a negative hand. These works, combined with tools and burials, illustrate the cultural complexity of Paleolithic societies. The museum of the site now exhibits among the oldest necklaces of Europe, dated to the Aurignacian and Magdalenian, placing these objects in their archaeological context.

Castel Merle, classified as historical monuments for several of its shelters (Blanchard in 1931, Reverdit in 1924), integrates in 2025 the "Chemins de l'Art rupestre prehistoric", a European network of the Council of Europe. This label highlights its heritage importance, along with 160 other sites attracting four million annual visitors. Recent research, such as that of Randall White (since 1995), continues to enrich knowledge of Aurignacian art and symbolic practices.

External links