In the 1860s, the prehistorians Edouard Lartet and Henry Christy carried out the first research in the rock shelter of Moustier. The lithic industry they discover is of such importance that it will give rise to the term “Mousterian” which encompasses a period ranging from – 350,000 to – 35,000 years before the present.
In August 2022, a team led by researcher Brad Gravina is carrying out new excavations at a site in which, in the meantime, Neanderthal remains have been discovered, including the skeleton of a young child.
– © Brad Gravina
The Moustier excavations are directed by Brad Gravina (National Museum of Prehistory and UMR-5199 PACEA, University of Bordeaux) and Marc Thomas (UMR-5608 TRACES doctoral student, Jean Jaurès University, Toulouse) and are financed by the DRAC Nouvelle Aquitaine, the Departmental Council of the Dordogne, and SAMRA.