Religious geometry in prehistory
This study which is situated geographically in the zone between Sancay-le-Grand and Orchamps-Vennes (Franche-Comté)
demonstrates that a considerable number of caves (French: Grottes) were created artificially; it is not reasonable to think that they were aligned "naturally", with great precision, according to geometric principles already often described (Straight line - male symbol? Isosceles triangle - female symbol ?).
The five abysses (French: Gouffre, trou) in this region are probably natural, possibly also the 'Trou des Champs Briquard'/ Laviron.
Only the deep gorge 'Puits des Alloz'/Vellevans and the cave 'La Glacière'/Pierrefontaine-les-Varans are not listed in the graph, but the church in Vellevans is equidistant (1.39 km, always measured horizontally) from this deep gorge and from the abyss 'Gouffre des Fonteny'/Vellevans. 'Puits des Alloz' is also on a straight line with a cross in Fontenelles/Chazot and the abyss 'Puits Fenoz' East/Chazot. The cave 'la Glacière' is probably from a much later period and was excavated to produce ice (?).
The cave 'Ste-Catherine'/Laval-le-Prieuré is exactly equidistant (12.62 km) from the cave 'Le Fays'/Landresse and from the cave 'Bois de la Baume'/Sancay-le-Long. The cave 'Le Fays' is on the other side equidistant (8.77 km) from the cave 'Bois de la Baume' and from the cave 'La Racine'/Bretonvillers and this one from the cave 'Bois de la Baume' and from the cave 'La Baume'/ Loray (8.27 km), altogether a net-like structure which is hardly fortuitous.
The 'Trou des Champs Briquard' is then equidistant (7.07 km) from the cave 'La Racine' and from the cave 'de l'Ermite'/Plaimbois-Vennes, but also from the cave 'Bois de la Baume' and from the abyss 'Puits de Goutaille'/Chazot (8.38 km); 'Trou des Champs Briquard' is also on a straight line between the cave 'La Baume' and the abyss 'Puits Fenoz' East.
Another straight line starts at the cave 'Le Fays' and goes via the cave 'La Baume' to the abyss 'Loray'. And still another straight line with 'Trou des Champs Briquard', the cave 'Le Fays' and the abyss 'des Fonteny'.
Finally, a long precise straight line with the abyss 'Lensiole'/ Fournet-Luisans, the cave 'L'Ermite' and the abyss 'Puits Fenoz' East.
There are also some significant geometric relations of these cavities with other "monuments" in this zone such as churches, chapels, crosses, rockstones (however not indicated in the graph), but somewhat less than one usually finds.
That prehistoric man should have dwelt in caves is a popular romantic invention, but having no base. These caves and abysses had most probably a cultual function. In the abyss 'Puits Willy' near Lajoux in the canton of Jura (Switzerland) were found many offerings, mainly from the Roman period.
When were such completely or partly artificial caves created ? Much given to speculation, we postulate that it could have happened during the mesolithic or early neolithic period, following the mesolithic rock-shelters.
In the absence of hard metal in those periods, we have to remind ourselves that rock cavities can also be cut with stones, e.g. evidenced by very large numbers of late neolithic 'Domus de Janas' in Sardinia.
For such artificial or artificially broadened caves there are also several probative examples in the Alps and elsewhere.
(Regarding the mysterious underground tunnels, without mining intent, which are often found in Germany, Austria and Switzerland (in German: "Erdstall", "Erdstollen"), they are probably also of prehistoric origin, not from the Middle Ages.)
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