In 1989, Cusqui visited the black hole in Mercio Bay. What did he find?

There are many natural caves on the land. There are mysterious and deep stalactites in them, some of which are like bamboo shoots, some are like ice hanging, and some are like swords ... which makes people linger?

There are also many caves at the bottom of the sea, some of which are wonderful. Some caves are full of fountains, some caves are full of blue light, some caves are inhabited by protozoa, some caves become graves of turtles, and some caves can make fierce sharks extremely gentle ...

The wonderful sight of underwater caves attracts people? In recent years, there has been a craze for cave diving in Europe. Although some people lost their way and couldn't find the exit after entering, people still took submersibles, held compasses, tied communication ropes around their waists, and put spotlights on their helmets, and kept diving into the caves to experience the feelings of astronauts and find new excitement?

In Casis, near Marseille, there is a diving instructor named Henri? Cusqui, he has been diving in the Mediterranean for more than 1 years? With good diving skills, he also often goes into caves for diving exploration?

one morning in September, 1989, Cuzcui found a black hole 4 meters below the sea at the foot of a collapsed rock in the Mediterranean Sea? He dived into the cave carefully, only to see the mouth of the cave surrounded by corals and sea fans? Wearing a diving suit made of synthetic rubber and carrying an oxygen bottle, he groped his way in a 1-meter-wide cave? He made a whisper in his heart: "I wonder how deep this hole is?"

kusqui groped for about 5 meters in the cave, when the tunnel gradually widened to 2-3 meters? However, once the fine sediment at the bottom of the cave is stirred, the turbid seawater diffuses everywhere, making the cave even darker? He gritted his teeth and went on for 15 meters with courage? After 3 minutes, his head suddenly emerged from the water? He looked around and found himself beside a cliff, waist deep? In front of his eyes is an arched cave, about 6 meters wide and 2-5 meters high? The cave walls are white? Blue? Colourful colors, stalactites, bamboo shoots and tall limestone columns?

Cusqui wants to continue exploring the cave, but he is worried about the limited oxygen. He wants to unload the diving equipment, and I wonder if the air in the cave is poisonous. He knew that there was a mixed gas that was harmful to human body, and he had learned this gas before when searching for sunken ships? Even so, he decided to give it a try. He resolutely took off his breathing mask, took a small breath, didn't breathe out for the time being, and tasted it. It seemed that there was nothing wrong. He took another deep breath, his throat felt no tingling, his head was not dizzy, and the air was breathable? He walked on for a while, but there was still no end in sight. Considering that he could come again in the future, he withdrew?

three years have passed quickly, and Cuzcui has been busy with the diving training school, so he has not found time to explore this cave? Only in July 1992 did he entrust two diving friends, Mark and Baynard? The Winsbin brothers planned to go into the cave to explore? After the two brothers entered the cave, although they went a little further than Cuzcui, they still failed to reach the end?

On July 9th, 1993, Cusqui finally re-entered the cave with three members of the diving association, namely his 23-year-old niece Sandrine? Cusqui? 27-year-old Yang? Gou Gan and bhaskar, 31? They are all experienced divers?

There were many people. They kept going. When they surfaced, they were fascinated by the beautiful scenery in the cave and immediately photographed it with a waterproof camera? Then they went into another cave and stood by the water?

"shall I go down and see if there is another cave?" With that, Cusqui dived into the water, groped for every recess in the cave wall, and concluded that there was no exit, then surfaced and put the lamp on a big stone? "Hey, look! What's that? " He exclaimed? The original light shone on the cave wall, and suddenly I saw the figure of a hand?

"We must photograph it. Maybe it is a prehistoric painting?" Sandrine said?

two days later, cusqui went to the photo studio to develop the photos, and found that there were not only one hand in the photos, but three? He thinks that this is probably a mural painted by the ancients? When he got back, he consulted many archaeological books, but he didn't find any information about murals?

four days later, the four of them dived into the cave again? This time, they brought floodlights? Camera? Waterproof camera? Sure enough, a bumper harvest? They first saw a row of small black horses on the waterline west of the main cavern, and then they saw a slender black horse painted on the opposite cave wall? These paintings are sketched with black charcoal, and the pictures are covered with translucent calcite?

under the floodlight, they searched carefully and found a picture of a black goat with a huge horn, a stag full of calcite and a picture of a galloping horse at the top of the cave? The cave mural in the east is painted with two big bison and many palm prints, some of which have less than five fingers, and a cat's head and three penguins? How many antelopes are painted between horses and bison? A seal and some weird geometric symbols? Count, there are dozens of them. They recorded them all?

however, they decided not to reveal the wind, and collected as much information as possible before sending it to the maritime safety administration for review? However, how many times have they entered the cave and been seen? Some people followed their example and explored the caves. Due to inadequate preparation, three people died? At this time, Cusqui decided to make their findings public?

with photos, he strode into the office of the Maritime Safety Administration in Marseille and reported to an official that they had found a cave with prehistoric murals under the Mediterranean Sea?

the official was a little incredulous, so he excused himself and said that there were various forms in the bureau for people to fill in the marine discovery. What sunken ship? Water subsidence step? The cauldron of the Roman Empire? Greek treasures and so on, but only no prehistoric relics to fill in the form? The official said, "Excuse me, would you please check elsewhere?"

kusqui came to the undersea archaeological research department? At first, some experts didn't believe it either? Because the physical evidence is only photos, and no cave paintings have ever been found in southeastern France? Cusqui was very annoyed? Fortunately, two experts, Keside and Courdin, supported his work? However, after hearing the news, the French Ministry of Culture still refused to draw a conclusion and decided to send experts to the scene first?

on September 19th, an archaeological research ship dispatched by the navy sailed above the cave? Some experts came on board? Frogmen, and a naval demining expert? Of course, Cusqui and Courdin are here, too? They also brought many advanced measurements? Lighting and instruments for taking samples from the cave wall?

kusqui and an undersea expert dive into the cave wall first? Pull up the sign line with the light hanging? Later, Cusqui said to Courdin, "What do you think?"

"I have never seen such beautiful scenery?" Courdin was amazed? The scene is exactly as described by Cusqui, and the powerful floodlight also shows murals that have not been seen before? Courdin speculated that the little black horse in the painting belonged to the late Paleolithic species, and the remains of this horse were unearthed in Provence, southeast France? He also found two complete small fireplaces? He congratulated Cusqui and said, "Your discovery is really amazing. This is a major appearance in the history of French archaeology. Are you going to be famous?"

the appraisal took 4 days? At this point, no one doubts anymore? Keside fully believed the information brought back by Courdin? He said, "Horse? Bison? Murals and sculptures such as goats all have Paleolithic characteristics, even drawn according to the practice of prehistoric art? For example, at that time, the horns of wild horns and goats were always bent or semi-bent, the hooves were never drawn, and the last leg was always missing? Does this mean that these paintings are earlier than those of the famous Lascaux Cave? "

keside's preliminary judgment was soon proved by laboratory tests? According to carbon isotope determination, these paintings have a history of 18.44 million years, and the charcoal for painting is made of Norwegian pine and black pine? These two kinds of pine trees grow along the coast in this area? Microscopic observation also found that the collected soil samples contained fossils of alder and pollen born along the Mediterranean coast at that time?

this cave is obviously the place where ancient people held ceremonies? Humans generally live outside caves? There are no tools in this hole? Arrow? Animal bones and other relics prove that European ancestors probably held religious ceremonies here, and the paintings on the cave walls are like icons and crosses in today's church. Handprints may be part of the symbolic language?

cusqui's discovery is significant because it proves that there are Paleolithic arts in southeastern France? Courdin said: "We got new evidence in archaeology and increased our understanding of the history of that era?"

archaeologists and oceanographers all over the world have asked the French government to provide this information?

Today, the French Institute of Archaeology has named the cave "Cusqui Cave"?