La Roque Saint Christophe is a string of caves in a limestone cliff ledge above the Vézère river. The cliff is 80 metres high and almost one kilometre in length. Around 55,000 years ago prehistoric man extended the river-gouged caves. From the 6th to 16th centuries, troglodytes (cave dwellers) continuously occupied the caverns. They carved stairs and built front walls to provide protection from the weather and attacks. In 1588 during the Wars of Religion, residents abandoned the cave system. This freehand ink sketch depicts examples of some of the machines used to lift food and water, or rocks to drop onto invaders. Objects typically used in daily life over the centuries fill the entire cave system as a museum.
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