The cave of Saint-Marcel is known for its extensive network (64 km of galleries) and its history of human occupation (Middle Palaeolithic and Neolithic) in the entrance area. Close observation of the main network reveals areas with high concentrations of broken speleothems, which are usually attributed to the first tourist visits of the nineteenth century. However, archaeo-geomorphological mapping of the broken speleothems, many of which are lying on the floor and sealed by stalagmite regrowth or crust, indicates intentional organisation of the underground space into speleothem supply zones and zones in which the speleothems were used to build structures. Age estimates of the stalagmite seals on these human-made structures suggest that the structures were a result of human activity that occurred between the end of the Upper Palaeolithic and the European Mesolithic. These age estimates radically change the way we look at the broken speleothems in the cave of Saint-Marcel and the structures associated with them. They bring to light the engagement of past human communities with the deep underground environment, at more than 1.5 km from the cave entrance, which can only be accessed by crossing obstacles (pits) that, today, are considered as difficult to be crossed. Our findings and ongoing research stress the unequivocal archaeological significance of the cave.

圣马塞尔洞穴以其广阔的网络（64公里长的画廊）和入口区域的人类居住历史（旧石器时代中期和新石器时代）而闻名。对主网络的仔细观察揭示了破碎洞穴高度集中的区域，这通常归因于十九世纪的第一次游客访问。然而，对破碎的洞穴（其中许多位于地面上并被石笋再生或地壳封闭）进行的考古地貌测绘表明，地下空间有意组织成洞穴供给区和洞穴被用来建造结构的区域。对这些人造结构上石笋印记的年龄估计表明，这些结构是旧石器时代晚期和欧洲中石器时代之间发生的人类活动的结果。这些年龄估计从根本上改变了我们看待圣马塞尔洞穴中破碎的洞穴以及与之相关的结构的方式。它们揭示了过去人类社区与距洞穴入口 1.5 公里多的地下深处环境的接触，洞穴入口只能通过穿越今天被认为难以跨越的障碍物（坑）才能进入。我们的发现和正在进行的研究强调了该洞穴明确的考古意义。