Uncover The Secrets Of The Submerged Cosquer Cave In France

Abstract

• Submerged Cosquer Cave: Positioned in Marseille, France, this underwater cave was inhabited by prehistoric people over the last ice age. It accommodates well-preserved Stone Age work courting again 27,000 years.
• Discovery and Tragedy: The cave was first found in 1985 by knowledgeable diver named Henri Cosquer. After a tragic incident in 1991 the place three divers misplaced their lives, the cave was named after Cosquer and have become identified for its outstanding artwork.
• No Diving Allowed: Because of rising sea ranges, diving is now prohibited within the Submerged Cosquer Cave. To protect the cave’s art work, a reproduction referred to as Cosquer Mediterranee has been created in Marseille for guests to discover.

There are such a lot of attention-grabbing issues from the traditional world that haven’t been found but. That’s not only a assertion to encourage upcoming archaeologists, however a reality that’s being confirmed with the occasional discovery of attention-grabbing issues just like the Submerged Cosquer Collapse France. This cave was unknown to the trendy world for greater than 10,000 years till it was found in 1985 by knowledgeable diver. Think about a cave submerged in water containing among the most well-preserved Stone Age work on this planet!

That’s simply fascinating to even consider. With this discovery, think about what number of extra attention-grabbing issues are hidden on land that has been swallowed by rising sea ranges or lengthy buried by layers of earth. Certainly, there may be nonetheless a lot on the market ready to be found. Right here’s the whole lot there may be to know in regards to the Submerged Cosquer Cave.

UPDATE: 2023/12/22 16:35 EST BY NOAH STAATS

No Diving Allowed With Rising Sea Ranges

This text has been refreshed with new info for vacationers to the Submerged Cosquer Collapse France, in addition to its present standing and what the positioning could have appeared like centuries in the past. The above-sea show of the cave is price trying out, however an precise dive right here is now not doable.

Overview Of The Submerged Cosquer Cave

Tucked away in a steep-walled inlet in Marseille, France, lies an underwater cave

The Submerged Cosquer Cave is positioned in a steep-walled inlet in Marseille often known as Calanque de Morgiou. This cave was created by people who inhabited it over the last ice age interval when the ocean was about 120 meters under the cave entrance.

Prehistoric People lived in caves (like the 9,000-year-old caves still inhabited in Italy), however they didn’t presumably dwell in a deep cave just like the Submerged Cosquer Cave; as an alternative, it was form of like an artwork workshop for them.

In accordance with historic data, these artworks date to 2 intervals in the course of the Higher Paleolithic period. The oldest group of artworks within the cave dates to 27,000 years in the past, whereas the latest ones date to 19,000 years in the past.

Whereas the oldest artworks solely embrace drawings of human fingers, the more moderen artworks are extra complicated and embrace drawings of a number of land and sea animals.

• Location: Calanque de Morgiou, Marseille, France
• Age: The oldest art work within the cave dates to 27,000 years in the past
• Date of Discovery: 1985
• Revealed to the Public: 1991

Discovery Of The Submerged Cosquer Cave

First found in 1985, Cosquer Cave remained a sizzling spot for divers into the twenty first century

The discovery of the Submerged Cosquer Cave was gradual and tough. All of it started in 1985 when Henri Cosquer, knowledgeable diver, found the doorway to the cave. After the invention, he got here again a number of instances to discover the cave individually after which with different divers after realizing he couldn’t do it alone.

It took till about six years after the primary discovery of the doorway earlier than Henry and different divers really received to the cave, the place they found the archaeological treasures and recorded them.

In one of many cave explorations, which befell in September 1991, three divers misplaced their lives after lacking the cave’s exit. Shortly after the incident and the restoration of the our bodies, Henry Cosquer revealed the invention, and this led to extra exploration and documentation of the cave.

The cave was quickly named after Henry Cosquer, and its work are actually often known as among the most well-preserved work from the Stone Age.

• When the cave was found: Starting in 1985
• Tragedy struck the cave: Three divers died in 1991 after lacking the exit

Traits Of The Submerged Cosquer Cave

Artwork from centuries in the past makes the submerged cave system price exploring

The traits of the Submerged Cosquer Cave are what make the positioning so fascinating and value exploring. Whereas its 37-meter underwater entrance is fascinating sufficient, there may be additionally a darkish gallery that stretches greater than 175 meters from the doorway to the cave itself. This makes the cave extremely lengthy, though it’s nothing in comparison with the longest caves in the world.

Contained in the cave are as much as 500 work and engravings that depict people and mammals (land and marine). The human work depict solely fingers, and a single half-man, half-animal creature, whereas the animal work depict a number of horses, bison, antelopes, seals, auks, and ibex.

In complete, these human and animal work quantity as much as 500, however that’s not all. There are additionally as much as 200 geometric designs within the cave. It’s even doable that the cave had loads of different work which were washed off or melted by the rising water.

It’s price noting that a lot of the animal work throughout the cave (as seen from the photographs) are practically correct, which is sufficient proof for one to say prehistoric painters have been nice artists. It’s unhappy that they have been solely serious about portray different issues however themselves.

Maybe they have been probably not impressed by their seems to be on the time therefore the much less curiosity in portray it.

• The cave is full of artwork: There are over 500 work contained in the Submerged Cosquer Cave.
• Stone Age traits: A lot of the remaining artwork inside this cave dates again to the Stone Age.

Can Folks Dive The Submerged Cosquer Cave In France?

No diving is permitted on account of rising sea ranges on the Submerged Cosquer Cave

Contemplating the Submerged Cosquer Cave is historical and rising sea ranges threaten its very existence, the nation has marked it completely closed and prohibits divers from getting into and exiting freely.

Though there may be an occasional exploration into the Submerged Cosquer Cave, this isn’t a vacation spot totally free dives or public swimming/exploring. The doorway to the cave continues to fall deeper into the ocean, with a present entry level of 121 ft under the floor.

The encircling water is quite dreamy, inviting individuals to boat across the cave and snap photographs of the close by rocky cliffs. As talked about, this cave wasn’t at all times submerged and was as an alternative very accessible to the individuals of that point.

The artwork alone proves this, plus 30,000 years in the past, the encircling sea degree was roughly 120-130 meters lower than its present place, which means the Submerged Cosquer Cave would have been an on-land attraction if it have been the identical situations in fashionable instances.

• The Submerged Cosquer Cave just isn’t diver-friendly: In 2024 and past, there isn’t any diving or entry allowed to this cave.
• This attraction was on land 1000’s of years in the past: The Submerged Cosquer Collapse France would have been uncovered to the sunshine 30,000 years in the past.

Present Standing Of The Submerged Cosquer Cave And The Duplicate

Skip going underwater: the Submerged Cosquer Cave has a reproduction!

After its discovery and exploration, the Submerged Cosquer Cave was declared a protected historic monument and was closed to the general public. This can be a transfer to aim to avoid wasting the cave from destruction, however nothing is assured at this level.

With world sea ranges rising very quick, the cave is weak to break down at any second, and the work would then perpetually be misplaced.

To protect this discovery for future generations, nevertheless, a everlasting duplicate of the Submerged Cosquer Cave has been created in Marseille, France. This duplicate, often known as Cosquer Mediterranee, might be seen on the Mediterranean Villa, a big constructing in Marseille that accommodates analysis, documentation, and exhibitions referring to the Mediterranean Sea.

The duplicate is the closest copy one can get of the unique cave, and what’s much more attention-grabbing is that one doesn’t should dive 37 meters underwater after which up a mile-long tunnel into the precise cave to see all of the attention-grabbing art work.

Every part is correct there contained in the Mediterranean Villa, and guided excursions are even provided to assist guests perceive the whole lot in regards to the cave and its art work.

• Handle: Villa Cosquer Mediterranee, Promenade Robert Laffont 13002, Marseille
• Web site: Cosquer Mediterranee
• Admission Charges: €16 ($17.64) for Adults
• Opening instances: Monday to Sunday, 9 am to 9 pm

For these trying to go to these caves in the course of the weekend, contemplate a Marseille weekend itinerary to make the go to much more thrilling.