Unique CRL method opens new possibilities for dating prehistoric rock art

31. 07. 2026

The team of the Czech Radiocarbon Laboratory (CRL) at the Nuclear Physics Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences has developed a unique method for the minimally invasive sampling of carbon-based rock art. The method makes it possible to obtain material for radiocarbon dating without damaging the artwork itself – the contours of the drawing remain preserved, and the sampling only results in a slight lightening of the sampled area.

The new methodology represents a significant advancement in the dating of historically valuable cave paintings, where obtaining samples has so far often been limited by the need to ensure their maximum protection. Thanks to this gentle sampling approach, it is now possible to determine the age of such artworks more precisely without compromising their scientific or cultural value.

Using this method, CRL researchers, in cooperation with archaeologists and speleologists, contributed to the discovery and dating of the oldest known carbon-based cave drawings in the Czech Republic, located in the Kateřinská Cave in the Moravian Karst. Radiocarbon analysis confirmed that the drawings are up to approximately 7,000 years old, significantly expanding our understanding of the earliest artistic expressions of humans in the region.

The method and the results achieved have attracted considerable interest from the scientific community in the Czech Republic and abroad. In cooperation with the Administration of the Caves of the Czech Republic, CRL therefore launched certification courses in 2026 focused on the sampling of cave paintings for Czech and international archaeologists. The aim is to provide specialists with a methodology that enables safe sample collection from other important archaeological sites while ensuring maximum protection of the investigated heritage.

The research results have recently attracted renewed attention in connection with special archaeological tours of the Kateřinská Cave, where the public can learn about the oldest known cave drawings in the Czech Republic as well as the methods that made it possible to determine their age.

The method developed at the Nuclear Physics Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences is expected to find applications in the research of other European sites and contribute to a better understanding and preservation of the artistic expressions of our ancient ancestors.

Photo credits: RNDr. Petr Zajíček, Caves Administration of the Czech Republic

Unique CRL method opens new possibilities for dating prehistoric rock art

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Snímek obrazovky 2026-07-31 121042

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