Abri du Poisson – Les Eyzies de Tayac Sireuil
The Abri du Poisson was discovered by a local inhabitant, Paul Girod in 1890 at a location known as Gorge d’Enfer, in the commune of Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil.
However, it was Jean Marsan who, in 1912, uncovered the remarkable carved ceiling of a salmon sculpture.
This rock shelter is on the D47, the road leading to Périgueux, on the right bank of the Vézère River, between the Grand Roc and Laugerie Basse rock shelters.
The oldest representation of a fish known
The Abri du Poisson houses the oldest known representation of a fish, a remarkable bas-relief sculpture that was indeed carved into the rock some 25,000 years ago!
Measuring 1.05 meters in length, this fish is also adorned with natural pigments and gives a fantastic glimpse into prehistoric art. This ancient masterpiece, depicting a male salmon exhausted after spawning, attests of the importance of fishing for early human populations. However, only a few representations of fish have been unearthed worldwide among the countless works of prehistoric art.
Unfortunately, looters attempted to remove the sculpture shortly after its discovery, leaving traces in the rock. However, thanks to the efforts of local archaeologist Denis Peyrony and the creation of a service dedicated to the protection of prehistoric sites, the Abri du Poisson has been preserved and remains intact.
The site was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979. Today, you can visit the Fish Shelter, but guided tours are limited to eight people at a time.
Department of Dordogne – Les Eyzies de Tayac Sireuil
Coordinates: Lat 44.9434781 – Long 0.99846839
Photo via Wikimedia Commons: Rock shelter by Ethan Doyle White CC BY-SA 4.0
