Small, deadly, and set in stone

THE Niaux cave, in the foothills of the French Pyrenees, is famous for its prehistoric art.

Visiting it last month was an exhilarating experience.

In a chamber, known as the ‘Salon Noir’, animals are depicted in profile. Why people travelled a kilometre underground, by the light of primitive torches 13,000 years ago, to create such images, is a mystery.