Editions Sud Ouest

This book describes the most significant and unusual aspects of prehistoric times in Périgord. Man has been living here for 500,000 years. Of course, the appearance of the earliest humans in Africa is five times older but it was in Périgord that Neanderthal and Cro-Magnon Man developed in the most spectacular way. It was also in Périgord that the first archaeological digs were carried out. For the past two centuries, the research has continued and there have been a number of exceptional discoveries, especially in the mysterious caves. With hundreds of settlement sites, more than fifty decorated caves ans rock-shelters and dozens of dolmens, the region is now internationally famous. In fact, Unesco has included the caves in the Vézère Valley in its World Heritage list.

Alain ROUSSOT

Alain Roussot, Honorary Curator-in-Chief of Heritage, has written countless works on prehistory over the past forty years, especially works on prehistoric art.

Julia ROUSSOT-LARROQUE

Julia Roussot-Larroque, prehistorian, is a research director with the CNRS. Her research focuses on late prehistory, from the Mesolithic to Bronze Ages, and she has directed many archaeological digs in the South-West of France.

Brigitte et Gilles DELLUC

Brigitte et Gilles Delluc, hold Ph.D’s in prehistory, were members of the scientific team which studied and published works on the art and archaeology of the Lascaux cave under the leadership of Arlette and André Leroi-Gourhan.

Their work, spanning a period of more than thirty years, is mainly concerned with Paleolithic art, prehistoric diet and the science of prehistory since its earliest days.