<< Feature Articles >> A guide to exploring prehistoric Paris
Submitted by Andy B on Thursday, 04 June 2015 Page Views: 5100
MuseumsCountry: France Département: Ile-de-France:Paris (75)Internal Links:
It has been less than a decade since an archaeological dig on the south-western edge of Paris, extended the known human occupation in this area by more than 3,000 years. An excavation the size of a football field, on the banks of the Seine, yielded thousands of flint arrowheads and animal bones. Previously, the oldest human settlement in Paris was thought to be a hunting and fishing village near the Gare de Lyon train station, which placed the earliest humans in this area at 4500 BC. But the latest discovery dates settlers at 7600BC, between the two Stone Age periods.
Little known even to locals is this dolmen cap stone in Hauts-De-Seine, which was found under a tumulus and placed upright in the town square as a military commemoration stone.
Travel out to Meudon in the suburbs of Paris and you will find Ker-Han Dolmen (below), which is originally from Saint-Philibert, Carnac but has been made into the family grave of the Archéologist Jean-Baptiste Piketty (1827-1884).
But if you’re looking to fully explore prehistoric Paris, the city’s collection of museums will prove your best resource.
Paris is of course a city that respects its history, which may be why there are approximately 250 museums located here. Everyone is probably familiar with the Louvre, home to what’s arguably the most visited artwork in the world, Leonardo da Vinci’s, Mona Lisa (1503–1517). However, if you’re looking to step a little further back in time, then the Musée d'Archéologie Nationale in Saint-Germain-en-Laye is the place to go. This museum houses a wide range of collections including antiquities from the early settlements of the Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic periods.
This museum is regarded as having one of the best archaeological collections in the world, featuring information and artifacts that stretch over 800,000 years, charting the evolution of man. In fact, approximately two million objects are kept here, although not all are available for public viewing. One of the most unusual but impressive antiquities in the museum is the carving of woman’s head, made from a mammoth’s tusk, which dates back 25,000 years and is the size of a human thumb.
The Musee Carnavalet, located on rue des Francs-Bourgeois, offers historic collections throughout its 140 rooms, but those interested in prehistory will no doubt be draw to the Neolithic dugout canoe, which dates from 4800BC – 1800BC, as well as the fascinating mammoth’s molar. Most of the antiquities on display in this museum were discovered during excavations in Paris during the 19th century.
Also worthy of a mention is the Musée du Quai Branly which has a large collection of indigenous art and cultural artefacts from around the world.
Paris holidays or short city breaks can open up some interesting ancient finds if you take the time to explore the many museums. Many of Paris’ best museums will have changing exhibits and collections, and as such it’s always a good idea to check the official museum websites before arriving, in order to view what’s on offer.
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