Imagine yourself as a prehistoric explorer. You’re discovering Grotte n° 62 for the first time. This cave entrance, Marseilleveyre n°62, marks just the beginning of an adventure.
Grotte n° 62 is a small cave. It measures only 40 meters in length and 6 meters in depth. Though not vast, Grotte n° 62 hints at a network of underground wonders.
Nearby, the Grotte aux Meduses extends 70 meters. The Aven du Roy d’Espagne plunges 22 meters deep. The Gouffre des Quatre Trous stretches 17 meters. These caves create a hidden world beneath Marseille.
A little further afield lies the Cosquer Cave. Its entrance lies 37 meters underwater. This submersion is due to the Holocene sea level rise. Once above water, the cave holds prehistoric rock art engravings. Henri Cosquer discovered the underwater entrance in 1985.
The Cosquer Cave entrance is a 175-meter-long tunnel. During glacial periods, the shoreline was much further out. The sea level was up to 100 meters below the cave entrance.
Cosquer began exploring the underwater passage in 1985. In June 1990, Belgian cave divers joined him. They followed the gallery to an underground lake.
In June 1991, Marc Van Espen and Cosquer installed the final guide line. They got a brief view of the first chamber. Soon after, a team discovered a handprint. It appeared to be prehistoric art.
Tragedy struck when three divers became lost and died in the access gallery. Cosquer declared the cave to maritime authorities.
The Regional Archaeological Service investigated the cave. Initial skepticism about the artwork faded. Later missions filmed “The Secret of Cosquer Cave”.
The cave has nearly 500 instances of cave art. They date back to two periods during the Upper Paleolithic. The first phase shows 65 hand stencils. The second phase shows animals and human figures. There are horses, bison, and aurochs. Unusual depictions include seals and jellyfish.
As you stand at the entrance of Grotte n° 62, consider these hidden connections. Think about the explorers. Imagine the prehistoric artists. Grotte n° 62 is more than just a small cave. It’s a portal to Marseille’s ancient secrets.