Lascaux cave in France holds over 600 parietal paintings of large local animals matching Upper Paleolithic fossils. Paintings dated 17,000 to 22,000 years old from early Magdalenian period. Discovered in 1940 by teenagers after dog found entrance. Closed to public in 1963 due to visitor damage from CO2, heat, humidity causing fungi and lichen. Replicas like Lascaux II, III, IV created using original pigments for public access. Over 900 identifiable animals including 364 equines, 90 stags, aurochs, bison dominant. No reindeer images despite being main food source, no fish or landscape. Uses iron oxide, hematite, goethite, manganese pigments applied by swabbing, spraying, incising. Hall of Bulls shows 5.2m long moving aurochs, largest in cave art. Crossed Bison demonstrates early occlusion and transparency for depth illusion. Picasso said after visit humans learned nothing in 12,000 years. Signs like angular barbs interpreted as weapons or wounds on dangerous animals. Animal groupings reflect natural habitats and behaviors like bison vs aurochs antagonism. Apse has thousands of entangled engravings requiring scaffolds. Well scene shows ithyphallic bird-headed man near dying bison and rhinoceros. Interpretations include hunting rituals, myths, structuralist male-female duality, trance visions. Conservation battles ongoing against Fusarium solani mold and Scolecobasidium lascauxense fungus since 2000s.