Major sites of Magdalenian art

In May 1864, 150 years ago, an extraordinary discovery of five engraved ivory fragments from the Madeleine Shelter in Tursac (Dordogne region) overturned received knowledge about Humanity's past. In the middle of the nineteenth century, the antiquity of Man and his cognitive capacity were subjects that excited intellectual circles. From 1863, major discoveries were made in terms of both quality and quantity in the Vézère valley, at the instigation of experts and enlightened amateurs. They would reveal an exceptional series of mobiliary (portable) artworks to science and the general public. But it was the ivory fragments from the Madeleine Shelter, with a careful and detailed engraving of a mammoth, that would permanently set the direction of future debates.



This exhibition is organised by the RMN-Grand Palais and the Musée National de Préhistoire in Les Eyzies-de-Tayac, with the scientific collaboration of the Centre National de Préhistoire and the Musée d'Art et d'Archéologie du Périgord in Périgueux.



Curators: Peggy Bonnet-Jacquement, research technician, Musée National de Préhistoire, Les Eyzies-de-Tayac, Jean-Jacques Cleyet-Merle, General Curator of Heritage, director of the Musée National de Préhistoire, Les Eyzies-de-Tayac, Jean-Michel Geneste, General Curator of Heritage, Director of the Centre National de Préhistoire, Périgueux, Elena Man-Estier, Curator of Heritage, Centre National de Préhistoire, Périgueux, Véronique Merlin-Anglade, Chief Curator of Heritage, Director of the Musée d'Art et d'Archéologie du Périgord, Périgueux

June and September: 9.30 am – 6 pm, except Tuesdays

July and August: 9.30 am – 6.30 pm daily.

October to May: 9.30 am – 12.30 pm and 2 pm – 5.30 pm, except Tuesdays