Lascaux, Prehistoric Astronomers
Stéphane Bégoin, Vincent Tardieu
2007 - 52 min - Couleur - France

SIt is commonly known that 35,000 years ago, Man was brutish and primitive and his main activities were copulation, hunting and gathering. But what if this Prehistoric Man were clever enough to develop in depth scientific knowledge? As unlikely as it may seem, new data tend to prove that these men actually invented Astronomy! For the last 20 years, Chantal Jègues-Wolkiewiez, an independent astronomer and ethnologist, has lead a rigorous investigation to prove this theory. According to her studies, hunter gatherers spent long nights observing the sky, calculating, and recording their discoveries either on the walls of caves or on animal bones. Thanks to their analyses they could measure time and adapt to weather change. In this film, she shares her stunning conclusions: Prehistoric men chose their caves according to the orientation of the sun, created measuring tools such as a lunar calendar, and their wall paintings were the first maps of the sky and stars. Today, these fascinating discoveries are gradually gaining respect in the international science community.