A must-see
article | Reading time1 min
Do you know the founder of prehistoric archaeology, François Daleau (1845-1927), who was responsible for the discovery of the Pair-non-Pair cave !
A passionate self-taught man
Born in Bourg (Gironde), François Daleau knew the land around his home town well. A keen archaeologist, he regularly explores the area.
When he entered the Pair-non-Pair cave for the first time, he had no idea that the walls were decorated. The area was filled to within 60 cm of the vault by rich archaeological layers. The excavation work to be carried out was considerable and required an astounding level of precision for the end of the 19th century.
A forerunner, a visionary and an innovator, he used excavation methods that were surprising for the time: digging with a knife, numbered grids, notes written day by day in his Excursion Notebooks, etc. He tried his hand at experimentation, and was even constantly questioning the use of various types of flint and bone tools.
A self-taught scholar and member of numerous learned societies (Société Préhistorique Française, Société Archéologique de Bordeaux, Société Linnéenne de Bordeaux, etc.), François Daleau devoted his life to the advancement of science.
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