Attribution des gravures paléolithiques de la grotte d'Aldène (Cesseras, Hérault) à l’Aurignacien par la datation des remplissages géologiques

The Palaeolithic engravings of the cave of Aldène were discovered in a gallery revealed during the mining of phosphates in this karst. Although only made up of about ten units, these engravings have given rise to several studies. The most recent highlights their similarities (faunal and stylistic) with the bestiary from the Chauvet cave. The stratigraphic, palaeontological and chronological study of the cave deposits permits the dating of the presence of the Palaeolithic people between the deposition of two dripstone floors dated at 37 000 and 24 400 BP. The date of 30 260 ± 220 BP obtained on charcoal sampled from an intermediate level attests a human incursion in the Aurignacian period, which is contemporary with the first phase of the art of Chauvet.