Sapiens in France: 35,000 Years of Adaptation: Episode of the Podcast “Sapiens, a Prehistoric Revolution”

This Radio France broadcast explores the history of Homo sapiens in Western Europe (present-day France) over 35,000 years, from its arrival around -42,000 years ago to the emergence of the first farmers around -7,000 BCE. Archaeologist Boris Valentin (Paris 1 University) draws on recent discoveries in archaeology, prehistory, and paleogenetics to trace this pivotal period, marked by:

– Cave art (Chauvet, Lascaux): Paintings and engravings revealing a symbolic daily life (impressive animals like mammoths or lions, use of fire to animate scenes, human and tamed wolf footprints).

– Sapiens migration: Originating in North Africa 300,000 years ago, it migrated out of Africa around -80,000 years ago, reaching Western Europe around -45,000 years ago.- Hunter-gatherer societies: Mesolithic engravings in the Fontainebleau Forest (around -9,000 years ago), including undeciphered ritual grids, threatened by the 2026 wildfires (150 out of 3,000 caves potentially damaged).

– Domestication: The first evidence of animal husbandry dates back to -17,000 years ago, with the wolf (ancestor of the dog) as the first domesticated animal.

Methodological issues: Boris Valentin questions the term “prehistory” and emphasizes the richness of this period for studying the evolution of societies, particularly the disappearance of decorated caves.Focus on a symbolic territory (France, Belgium, England) as the cradle of prehistoric science.

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