Event Timing: April 29th, 2025 10:00 - 18:00 CEST

A groundbreaking study has determined the precise ages of prehistoric cave paintings in France’s Font-de-Gaume cave using hidden charcoal found within black pigments. Researchers employed Raman microspectrometry and hyperspectral imaging to detect organic carbon traces, enabling radiocarbon dating. The bison painting was dated to between 13,461 and 13,162 calBP (calibrated years before present), while sections of a mask-like figure revealed multiple creation periods spanning thousands of years. This discovery challenges previous assumptions that such artworks were static, instead suggesting repeated visits by ancient communities to modify or add to the art over time. The findings offer new insights into human behavior and cultural practices during the Upper Paleolithic era, potentially reshaping how archaeologists interpret prehistoric cave art. By combining chemical imaging with sensitive radiocarbon analysis, scientists have developed a method applicable to other undatable artifacts, enhancing understanding of ancient artistic processes and human interaction with their environment.

A PLOS ONE paper places Ahmose's reign over Egypt decades after the famous Thera volcanic eruption in the Aegean Sea, with vast implications for the region's history

The History and Legends of the World’s Most Famous Relic, by Andrea Nicolotti