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Jean Clottes
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BIOGRAPHY Dr. Jean Clottes earned his Ph.D. in 1975 from the University of Toulouse. He became the Director of Prehistoric Antiquities for Midi-Pyrénées in 1971, General Inspector for Archaeology at the French Ministry of Culture in 1992, and in 1993, the Scientific Advisor for prehistoric rock art at the Ministry. He retired in 1999 and currently edits the International Newsletter on Rock Art (INORA). He has taught at the universities of Toulouse, France; Neuchùtel, Switzerland; Gerona, Spain; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Berkeley, California; and Victoria, Canada. His scientific interest relates primarily to prehistoric rock art, particularly the problems of epistemology and the search for meaning. He has served as author or editor for 30 books and more than 450 papers.
Primary Contributions (2)
bison drawing at Altamira cave
Cave art
Cave art, generally, the numerous paintings and engravings found in caves and shelters dating back to the Ice Age (Upper Paleolithic), roughly between 40,000 and 14,000 years ago. See also rock art. The first painted cave acknowledged as being Paleolithic, meaning from the Stone Age, was Altamira

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Publications (3)
Cave Art
Cave Art (June 2008)
By Jean Clottes
This book reveals some of the world’s oldest and most remarkable works of art, the discovery of which transformed the way we think about the development of human artistic endeavour and creativity. A guided tour of European prehistoric caves by world-renowned expert Jean Clottes, Cave Art brings together an unparalleled selection of spectacular and beautiful images of wall paintings, mysterious rock engravings and refined sculptures, all accompanied by accessible, informative text.
Chauvet Cave The Art of Earliest Times
Chauvet Cave The Art of Earliest Times (2003)
By Jean Clottes
Chauvet Cave: The Art of Earliest Times by Jean Clottes is a captivating exploration of one of the most extraordinary archaeological discoveries of the 20th century. Unearthed in 1994 in southern France, the Chauvet Cave contains some of the world's oldest known cave paintings, dating back over 30,000 years. In this richly illustrated book, Clottes--a leading expert on prehistoric art--takes readers on a journey through the cave's stunning imagery, which includes vivid depictions of animals...
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World Rock Art (Conservation & Cultural Heritage)
World Rock Art (Conservation & Cultural Heritage) (December 2002)
By Jean Clottes
Although cave paintings from the European Ice Age have has gained considerable renown, for many people the term "rock art" remains full of mystery. Yet it refers to perhaps the oldest form of artistic endeavor, splendid examples of which exist on all continents and from all eras. Rock art stretches in time from about forty thousand to less than forty years ago and can be found from the Arctic Circle to the tip of South America, from the caves of southern France to the American Southwest. It includes...
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