Fiona Pichon

Fiona Pichon (associated researcher, UMR 5133 Archéorient) will speak as part of the Oriental Archaeology Lectures, on November 10, in the Françoise Héritier Room at the Institut des Civilisations – Collège de France, from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

How can we reconstruct the lives of the first village communities from fragments of stone? A flint blade, a piece of obsidian, or a microscopic trace can reveal gestures, skills, and connections between sometimes very distant communities. From cereal harvesting to hide processing, from domestic activities to technical transfers, this lecture draws on several research fields in Southwest Asia to explore Neolithic lifestyles. It will show how the study of tools and the traces left by their use makes it possible to reconstruct daily practices often invisible in archaeological remains. By connecting these clues, a mosaic emerges: that of diverse, inventive, and interconnected Neolithic societies.