La Grotte des Fées | |
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  La Grotte des Fées Location in France | |
| Location | Châtelperron |
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| Region | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes,France |
| Coordinates | 46°24′42″N3°38′18.6″E / 46.41167°N 3.638500°E /46.41167; 3.638500 |
La Grotte des Fées is a cave located inChâtelperron, in the central Frenchdepartment ofAllier.[1]
The name refers to three caves, of which one is collapsed.
The caves are located in the commune of Châtelperron, about 1 km north of the town, on the left bank of the Graveron River at 5 or 6 m above stream level.
They belong to theMassif Central.
Two interlinked caves were first discovered around 1840, perhaps in 1848, during the construction of the railway[2] which used to link the mines fromBert toDompierre-sur-Besbre.[3] The first delving research was led by Albert Poirrier, who carried out the construction of the railway line and who had a keen interest in prehistory. A few years later, between 1867 and 1872, Dr. Guillaume Bailleau undertook new research. A third cave (today collapsed), was discovered in 1867 by Bailleau. Several thousand flint blades andmammoth tusks of over 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) long were found. The last research, from 1951 to 1954 and in 1962, was led by Henri Delporte and revealed back blades of flint (named "couteaux de Châtelperron"), burins, drills and scrapers.
Most of the artifacts are today located at theBritish Museum and at thePhiladelphia Museum. A few pieces are on display at theMoulins museum and at theMusée d'Archéologie Nationale atSaint-Germain-en-Laye. The display at Châtelperron (Préhistorama, located in the former railway station) has only reproductions for the time being.
It is to the Grotte des Fées that theChâtelperronian era (35,000–30,000 B.C.) owes its name. Delving results have also sparked the debated theory of the hypothetical cohabitation betweenanatomically modern humans andNeanderthals.[3]
The site was registered by theFrench Ministry of Culture as amonument historique in 1949.[1]
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