The Lascaux cave in France was discovered in September 1940 by four French teenagers after their dog sniffed around a hole.
Notes on verification
Core claim corroborated by History.com, History Today, and Linda Hall Library. Minor uncertainty remains about the dog's exact role (whether it sniffed the hole or chased a rabbit), but the essential facts—four teenagers, September 1940, dog involvement—are well supported. [tier=unverified indep_score=0.3 clusters=2 claim_tier=notable] [rescored 2026-09-15: curated origin-host map (PR #65); unclassified hosts no longer scored as aggregators]
Sources
- 7 Historical Treasures Discovered by Accident | HISTORY (seed:history_and_archaeology)
- https://www.historytoday.com/archive/months-past/discovery-lascaux-cave-paintings (corroboration)
- https://www.lindahall.org/about/news/scientist-of-the-day/lascaux-cave/ (corroboration)