Pincevent 1964-2019, 55 ans d’ethnologie préhistorique

Pincevent, one of the most significant prehistory archaeological sites in the world, is 84 km south-east of Paris in the Seine-et-Marne Department. The area is rich in evidence of life in the Magdalenian period around 12,000 years ago and was first excavated in 1964 by André Leroi-Gourhan. His work spanned nearly two decades and has continued in similar vein since his death in 1986. Leroi-Gourhan was an innovator in bringing vibrancy to prehistory research that became a model for generations of archaeologists and anthropologists.”I am looking for men and not stones” became his mantra. For him, Man’s development progressed far beyond that of other species for two main reasons: the invention of tools and the use of symbols, including language. Some 55 years of research (1964-2019), retraced here through annual reports, hundreds of publications and some landmark monographs, illustrate the evolution of excavation methods. Expanding the objectives of archaeological searches, combined with appreciation of their intertwined links, has provided a unique perspective: prehistoric ethnology. For Leroi-Gourhan, Pincevent was ideal for developing his ambition of using excavation to show daily life. But, beyond monitoring advances in methodology”including analysis of lithic material and the study of fauna – we wanted to follow their relationship with the very concept of prehistoric ethnology. We drew on Leroi-Gourhan’s pre-Pincevent writings (when he excavated inter alia the caves of Arcy-sur-Cure), noting his theoretical and pragmatic observations, plus descriptions of the excavators themselves. An extra ingredient for this book came from half a century of thoughts, comments, even criticisms from other prehistorians or ethnologists of his widely shared public works. Hopefully these chapters will provide a comprehensive base for future prehistory work and reflections.
English summary by Peter Grimsditch.

Publication by Philippe Soulier : Pincevent 1964-2019, 55 ans d’ethnologie préhistorique, mémoire de la SPF n°68