Lascaux is a cave in the Dordogne region of southwestern France, famous for the Upper Paleolithic paintings of animals that cover its walls, made around 17,000 years ago. It was discovered in September 1940 by four teenagers who were out with a dog, and it soon drew visitors and archaeologists, including the prehistorian Henri Breuil. The paintings show horses, aurochs, deer and ibex, with a striking large hall known as the Hall of the Bulls, and a narrow passage known as the Apse with engravings. Because the breath and presence of many visitors caused algae and fungi to grow on the walls, the cave was closed to the public in 1963. A faithful replica, Lascaux II, opened nearby in 1983, followed by further replicas, and the cave is part of a UNESCO World Heritage listing for the Vézère valley.
Before and after
- 21 August 1940Death of Leon Trotsky
- 30 August 1940Death of Joseph John Thomson
- from 7 September 1940 to 21 May 1941The Blitz
- from 9 September 1940 to 16 September 1940Italian invasion of Egypt
- 12 September 1940Lascaux
- 20 September 1940Birth of Tarō Asō
- 23 September 1940Birth of Michel Temer
- 27 September 1940Tripartite Pact
- 9 October 1940Birth of John Lennon
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