Current problems in dating Palaeolithic cave art: Candamo and Chauvet

• Published in: Antiquity Vol. 77; no. 295; pp. 134 - 141
• Main Authors: Pettitt, Paul, Bahn, Paul
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.03.2003; Portland Press
• Subjects: Analysis; Archaeology; Art history; Carbon dating; cave art; Cave drawings; Caves; Dating; Excavation and methods; Fossils; France; Laboratories; Laboratory methods; Method; Methodology and general studies; Methods; Palaeolithic; Paleolithic Age; Paleolithic period; Prehistory; Prehistory and protohistory; radiocarbon; Radiocarbon dating; Rock art; Aurignacian; Upper Palaeolithic; Magdalenian; Ardeche; France; Europe; Spain; England; Cosquer Cave; Grotte Chauvet; United Kingdom > UK; Chauvet Cave; radiocarbon; Palaeolithic; cave art; Radiocarbon; Stylistic; Laboratory; Method; Dating; Mass spectrometry; Rock art; Painting

New discoveries of cave art at Chauvet and elsewhere have produced radiocarbon dates which may seem startlingly early and demand dramatic revision to the traditional stylistic sequence. The authors warn that the radiocarbon dates may themselves need better validation.