The Pôle d'interprétation de la Préhistoire is pleased to present the audiovisual encyclopedia, «Les Gestes de la Préhistoire» which was completed in late 2021.

This collection is unique by its form, its ambition, its extent, and proves to be an essential reference in discovering and better understanding the ingenuity, the skill and the workmanship which characterize the prehistoric societies of hunter-gatherers who succeeded each other during the Paleolithic era until the end of the last glaciation nearly 10,000 years ago in Europe.

Almost 10 hours of viewing: 99 films of 3 to 9 minutes are available. By combining current scientific knowledge and experimental archaeology, each film retraces the manufacturing process of a characteristic object and suggests its uses.
The three main authors of this audiovisual encyclopedia – the director, Pascal Magontier, the scientific supervisor, Jean-Michel Geneste and the experiment coordinator, Serge Maury, along with specialists in their respective fields, have masterfully, precisely, scientifically, and intimately reproduced the technical knowledge that characterizes Paleolithic cultures. This makes each film an excellent educational tool to better understand them.
This site aims to show you the wealth and diversity of the collection. You may also consult the catalogue and select the films you would like to view remotely.