Călin Ghemiş, archeologist at Ţării Crişurilor Museum took two samples of charcoal, one directly from a painted animal (a possible feline) and the other from a piece of charcoal found below the animal. The two samples have been radiocarbon dated on Artémis (LMC-14, CEA, Saclay) by the Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement at Gif-sur-Yvette (LSCE/UVSQ, France) (Hélène Valladas). The results are the following:

-          animal drawing : 27,870 ± 250 (GIFA 11002), i.e. 31,450 / 32,820 years CalBP (GifA11002/SacA23417);

-          charcoal : 31,640 ± 390 (GIFA 11001),  i.e.  35,120 / 36,780 years CalBP (SacA23416) .

These dates confirm the very old age of the parietal art in Coliboaia. The oldest date (about 36,000 before present) corresponds to the ones from the Chauvet Cave (Ardèche, France). This means that at those very early times there must have been a commonality of practices and probably of beliefs all over Europe.

Jean CLOTTES,

Conservateur général du Patrimoine (honoraire)

Expert international (art rupestre) pour l’ICOMOS et l’UNESCO

Scientific coordinator of the Project

j.clottes@wanadoo.fr

tel. 0033 561 65 0182

Aurel Chiriac,

Director, Ţării Crişurilor Museum

contact@mtariicrisurilor.ro

tel. 004 0744550 736

Viorel Traian LASCU,

President of the Romanian Speological Federation

Logistic and administrative coordonator  of the project

violascu@spelemat.ro

tel. 004 0745 602 203