Caves as Memories of Past and Recent Changes in the Underground Landscape

Reconstructing archaeological sites as they appeared when visited in the past, in order to gain a better understanding of their landscape dimensions, their specific physical features, potential obstacles to progress, etc. is an increasingly important focus in current research on underground environments. This work of reconstructing past landscapes relies on the study of underground morphologies and deposits on the walls and on the ground, and reflects the evolution of the cave over time. This evolution is largely controlled by external and environmental parameters (hydraulic gradient, climate, vegetation cover, etc.). In this context, caves are genuine archives of the evolution of past and recent environments, and play a crucial role in preserving and recording them over time.

The study of these subterranean memories in conjunction with animal and human traces enables us to reconstruct the different stages in the evolution of the subterranean landscape before, during, and after the periods of frequentation, while linking them to the specific features of the relief and the external environment. The integrated interpretation of the cave now enables us to look closely at the specific features of the outdoor and underground landscapes over time, and to examine the state of the cave walls and floors at the time they were visited.

Presenting the results obtained from underground archives, methodological developments and current challenges will be central to this session. Particular attention will be paid to the conditions of access to caves, to the reconstruction of underground landscapes at the time they were visited, and to the definition of landscape changes since prehistoric times.

Keywords: geomorphology; paleoclimatology; paleoenvironment; hydrology.