Mémoire rupestre

Les roches gravées du massif de Fontainebleau.

First book dedicated to the photographs of the astonishing engraved rocks of the Fontainebleau massif. While in residence at the Prehistory Museum of Île-de-France, photographer Emmanuel Breteau succeeded in rendering the mystery of these unkown engravings, dating back to Paleolithic (600 000 BC – 9500 BC) and mesolithic (9000 BC – 5000 BC) for the most part. Engraved in the sandstone of rock shelters, often difficult to access, they represent abstract designs and some human and animal portrayals. Accompanying this visual exploration, several essays review the actual state of archaeological research, with a literary contribution from Jean Rouaud.