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History / Archeology - 14.04.2023
History / Archeology - Architecture - 23.11.2022 
Archaeology of the Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Castor cathedral in Nîmes (Gard)
Since the beginning of 2022, a study of the archaeology of the building led by the Inrap is engaged on the bell tower and the western facade of the cathedral of Nîmes. It is an exceptional opportunity to deepen our knowledge of this emblematic building of the city of Nîmes, by studying closely its elevations.
History / Archeology - Astronomy / Space Science - 20.10.2022 
Discovery of extracts from a lost astronomical catalog
Hipparchus' star catalog is the earliest known attempt to accurately determine the positions of fixed stars. Researchers have just found fragments of this missing text in an old manuscript. They show that Hipparchus' data were significantly more accurate than those of another catalog composed centuries later.
Astronomy / Space Science - History / Archeology - 20.10.2022 
Discovery of extracts from a lost astronomical catalogue
They prove that Hipparchus' data were significantly more accurate than those of another catalogue composed centuries later. Researchers from the CNRS, Sorbonne Université and Tyndale House (affiliated with the University of Cambridge) have recently found fragments of the Star Catalogue composed by the Greek astronomer Hipparchus during the 2nd century BC.
Life Sciences - History / Archeology - 09.09.2022 
The origins of donkey domestication
The donkey has shaped the history of humankind, both as a source of power for farm work, and of transportation in sometimes hard to reach areas. To understand the history of the donkey's domestication, teams at the Centre for Anthropobiology and Genomics of Toulouse (CNRS/ Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier) and scientists 1 from 37 laboratories around the world worked together to build and analyse the most complete panel of genomes ever studied for this animal.
History / Archeology - 02.06.2022 
Excavation of a modern and modern cemetery in the heart of Colmar (Haut-Rhin)
In Colmar, the Inrap is excavating the cathedral square and uncovering the old cemetery of the Saint-Martin collegiate church. The initial research provided first-rate information on the population of Colmar in the medieval period. In the heart of the city, the redevelopment project of the Cathedral Square, carried by the City of Colmar, has motivated the prescription of a preventive archaeological excavation by the State (Drac Grand-Est).
Life Sciences - History / Archeology - 20.10.2021 
Origin of domestic horses finally established
The modern horse was domesticated around 2200 years BCE in the northern Caucasus. In the centuries that followed it spread throughout Asia and Europe. To achieve this result, an international team of 162 scientists collected, sequenced and compared 273 genomes from ancient horses scattered across Eurasia.
History / Archeology - Social Sciences - 27.05.2021 
Jebel Sahaba: A succession of violence rather than a prehistoric war
Since the 1960s, the Jebel Sahaba cemetery (Nile Valley, present-day Sudan) has become the emblem of organised warfare during prehistory. Re-analysis of the data, however, argues for a succession of smaller conflicts. Competition for resources is probably one of the causes of the conflicts witnessed in this cemetery.
History / Archeology - 10.02.2021 
Ancient seashell resonates after 18,000 years
A + A Almost 90 years after its discovery, a large shell from the ornate Marsoulas Cave in the Pyrenees has been studied by a multidisciplinary team from the CNRS, the Muséum de Toulouse, the Université Toulouse - Jean Jaurès and the Musée du quai Branly - Jacques-Chirac 1 : it is believed to be the oldest wind instrument of its type.
History / Archeology - Environment - 27.01.2021 
History of the Champagne vineyards revealed
Although the reputation of Champagne is well established, the history of Champagne wines and vineyards is poorly documented. However, a research team led by scientists from the CNRS and the Université de Montpellier at the Institut des sciences de l'évolution de Montpellier 1 has just lifted the veil on this history by analysing the archaeological grape seeds from excavations carried out in Troyes and Reims.
History / Archeology - Earth Sciences - 09.12.2020 
New evidence: Neandertals buried their dead
Was burial of the dead practiced by Neandertals or is it an innovation specific to our species? There are indications in favour of the first hypothesis but some scientists remain sceptical. For the first time in Europe, however, a multi-disciplinary team led by researchers at the CNRS and the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle (France) and the University of the Basque Country (Spain) 1 has demonstrated, using a variety of criteria, that a Neandertal child was buried, probably around 41,000 years ago, at the Ferrassie site (Dordogne).
History / Archeology - 09.06.2020 
Discovering the prehistoric monuments of Arabia
In contrast to the prehistoric remains of the Near East, the megalithic monuments of Arabia remain largely unknown. These monumental structures, made of dry stone walls, still hold many secrets in terms of their construction, function and chronology. An international collaboration 1 of scientists from France, Saudi Arabia and Italy 2 , led by Olivia Munoz, a researcher at the CNRS, have discovered a 35-metre long triangular platform in the oasis of Dûmat al-Jandal (northern Saudi Arabia).
History / Archeology - Physics - 09.04.2020 
Neanderthal cord weaver
Contrary to popular belief, Neanderthals were no less technologically advanced than Homo sapiens . An international team, including researchers from the CNRS, have discovered the first evidence of cord making, dating back more than 40,000 years 1 , on aflint fragment from the prehistoric site of Abri du Maras in the south of France 2 .
History / Archeology - 15.01.2020 
The colours of the Pachacamac idol, an Inca God, finally revealed
Researchers from the CNRS, Sorbonne Université, université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle and the Musée du Quai Branly - Jacques Chirac have shown colours formerly painted on the Pachacamac idol, a 15th century Inca God and oracle. Paired with the first carbon 14 dating of the object, these results published in PLOS ONE on 15 January 2020 shed light on colour practices, and how important they were in the Andes at that time.
History / Archeology - 25.09.2018 
Painted tomb discovered in Cumae (Italy) : A banquet frozen in time
At the foot of the hill on which sits the ancient city of Cumae, in the region of Naples, Priscilla Munzi, CNRS researcher at the Jean Bérard Centre (CNRS-EFR), and Jean-Pierre Brun, professor at the Collège de France, are exploring a Roman-era necropolis. They now reveal the latest discovery to surface in the archaeological dig they have led since 2001: a painted tomb from the 2nd century B.C. In excellent condition, the tomb depicts a banquet scene, fixed by pigments.
History / Archeology - 18.07.2018 
Old Theban port of Chalcis : A medieval maritime crossroads in Greece
Showcased in museums the world over, Byzantine ceramics are the vestiges of an ancient empire that dominated the Mediterranean region for nearly ten centuries. One CNRS researcher 1 , in cooperation with Greek colleagues 2 , has focused her attention on a widely disseminated style of ceramics called the “main Middle Byzantine Production,” found in all four corners of the Mediterranean.
Life Sciences - History / Archeology - 30.04.2018 
The rose genome deciphered: from the origin of modern roses to the characteristics of their blooms
The rose: an ornamental plant emblematic of the cultural and economic history of mankind. An international consortium involving INRA, ENS de Lyon, CEA, CNRS and Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, has deciphered the genome of the rose. This work has enabled them to trace the respective contributions of European and Chinese roses to the genome of modern plants, and identify all the genes involved in the pathways for the biosynthesis of perfume and colour.
History / Archeology - Career - 05.03.2018 
Ancient Nubia (present-day Sudan) : In the footsteps of the Napata and Meroe kingdoms
The archaeological site of Sedeinga is located in Sudan, a hundred kilometers to the north of the third cataract of the Nile, on the river's western shore. Known especially for being home to the ruins of the Egyptian temple of Queen Tiye, the royal wife of Amenhotep III, the site also includes a large necropolis containing sepulchers dating from the kingdoms of Napata and Mereo (seventh century BCE–fourth century CE), a civilization 1 mixing local traditions and Egyptian influences.
Earth Sciences - History / Archeology - 01.12.2017
Chemistry - History / Archeology - 23.11.2017 
New AGLAÉ : A global benchmark for preserving heritage
To solve mysteries about ancient works or authenticate heritage objects, specialists often need support from science. Since 1988, AGLAÉ has been installed at the Centre de Recherche et de Restauration des Musées de France (C2RMF, Palais du Louvre). It is the only particle accelerator in the world that is exclusively dedicated to studying heritage objects.
History/Archeology
Results 1 - 20 of 30.
The stained glass windows of Notre-Dame regain their light
While Notre-Dame de Paris is being rebuilt, scientists and restorers are working hand in hand to better understand and preserve its stained glass decoration Research engineer Karine Boulanger and heritage curator Élisabeth Pillet are part of the Glass working group of the scientific project set up by the CNRS and the Ministry of Culture.
While Notre-Dame de Paris is being rebuilt, scientists and restorers are working hand in hand to better understand and preserve its stained glass decoration Research engineer Karine Boulanger and heritage curator Élisabeth Pillet are part of the Glass working group of the scientific project set up by the CNRS and the Ministry of Culture.
Since the beginning of 2022, a study of the archaeology of the building led by the Inrap is engaged on the bell tower and the western facade of the cathedral of Nîmes. It is an exceptional opportunity to deepen our knowledge of this emblematic building of the city of Nîmes, by studying closely its elevations.
Hipparchus' star catalog is the earliest known attempt to accurately determine the positions of fixed stars. Researchers have just found fragments of this missing text in an old manuscript. They show that Hipparchus' data were significantly more accurate than those of another catalog composed centuries later.
They prove that Hipparchus' data were significantly more accurate than those of another catalogue composed centuries later. Researchers from the CNRS, Sorbonne Université and Tyndale House (affiliated with the University of Cambridge) have recently found fragments of the Star Catalogue composed by the Greek astronomer Hipparchus during the 2nd century BC.
The donkey has shaped the history of humankind, both as a source of power for farm work, and of transportation in sometimes hard to reach areas. To understand the history of the donkey's domestication, teams at the Centre for Anthropobiology and Genomics of Toulouse (CNRS/ Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier) and scientists 1 from 37 laboratories around the world worked together to build and analyse the most complete panel of genomes ever studied for this animal.
In Colmar, the Inrap is excavating the cathedral square and uncovering the old cemetery of the Saint-Martin collegiate church. The initial research provided first-rate information on the population of Colmar in the medieval period. In the heart of the city, the redevelopment project of the Cathedral Square, carried by the City of Colmar, has motivated the prescription of a preventive archaeological excavation by the State (Drac Grand-Est).
The modern horse was domesticated around 2200 years BCE in the northern Caucasus. In the centuries that followed it spread throughout Asia and Europe. To achieve this result, an international team of 162 scientists collected, sequenced and compared 273 genomes from ancient horses scattered across Eurasia.
Since the 1960s, the Jebel Sahaba cemetery (Nile Valley, present-day Sudan) has become the emblem of organised warfare during prehistory. Re-analysis of the data, however, argues for a succession of smaller conflicts. Competition for resources is probably one of the causes of the conflicts witnessed in this cemetery.
A + A Almost 90 years after its discovery, a large shell from the ornate Marsoulas Cave in the Pyrenees has been studied by a multidisciplinary team from the CNRS, the Muséum de Toulouse, the Université Toulouse - Jean Jaurès and the Musée du quai Branly - Jacques-Chirac 1 : it is believed to be the oldest wind instrument of its type.
Although the reputation of Champagne is well established, the history of Champagne wines and vineyards is poorly documented. However, a research team led by scientists from the CNRS and the Université de Montpellier at the Institut des sciences de l'évolution de Montpellier 1 has just lifted the veil on this history by analysing the archaeological grape seeds from excavations carried out in Troyes and Reims.
Was burial of the dead practiced by Neandertals or is it an innovation specific to our species? There are indications in favour of the first hypothesis but some scientists remain sceptical. For the first time in Europe, however, a multi-disciplinary team led by researchers at the CNRS and the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle (France) and the University of the Basque Country (Spain) 1 has demonstrated, using a variety of criteria, that a Neandertal child was buried, probably around 41,000 years ago, at the Ferrassie site (Dordogne).
In contrast to the prehistoric remains of the Near East, the megalithic monuments of Arabia remain largely unknown. These monumental structures, made of dry stone walls, still hold many secrets in terms of their construction, function and chronology. An international collaboration 1 of scientists from France, Saudi Arabia and Italy 2 , led by Olivia Munoz, a researcher at the CNRS, have discovered a 35-metre long triangular platform in the oasis of Dûmat al-Jandal (northern Saudi Arabia).
Contrary to popular belief, Neanderthals were no less technologically advanced than Homo sapiens . An international team, including researchers from the CNRS, have discovered the first evidence of cord making, dating back more than 40,000 years 1 , on aflint fragment from the prehistoric site of Abri du Maras in the south of France 2 .
Researchers from the CNRS, Sorbonne Université, université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle and the Musée du Quai Branly - Jacques Chirac have shown colours formerly painted on the Pachacamac idol, a 15th century Inca God and oracle. Paired with the first carbon 14 dating of the object, these results published in PLOS ONE on 15 January 2020 shed light on colour practices, and how important they were in the Andes at that time.
At the foot of the hill on which sits the ancient city of Cumae, in the region of Naples, Priscilla Munzi, CNRS researcher at the Jean Bérard Centre (CNRS-EFR), and Jean-Pierre Brun, professor at the Collège de France, are exploring a Roman-era necropolis. They now reveal the latest discovery to surface in the archaeological dig they have led since 2001: a painted tomb from the 2nd century B.C. In excellent condition, the tomb depicts a banquet scene, fixed by pigments.
Showcased in museums the world over, Byzantine ceramics are the vestiges of an ancient empire that dominated the Mediterranean region for nearly ten centuries. One CNRS researcher 1 , in cooperation with Greek colleagues 2 , has focused her attention on a widely disseminated style of ceramics called the “main Middle Byzantine Production,” found in all four corners of the Mediterranean.
The rose: an ornamental plant emblematic of the cultural and economic history of mankind. An international consortium involving INRA, ENS de Lyon, CEA, CNRS and Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, has deciphered the genome of the rose. This work has enabled them to trace the respective contributions of European and Chinese roses to the genome of modern plants, and identify all the genes involved in the pathways for the biosynthesis of perfume and colour.
The archaeological site of Sedeinga is located in Sudan, a hundred kilometers to the north of the third cataract of the Nile, on the river's western shore. Known especially for being home to the ruins of the Egyptian temple of Queen Tiye, the royal wife of Amenhotep III, the site also includes a large necropolis containing sepulchers dating from the kingdoms of Napata and Mereo (seventh century BCE–fourth century CE), a civilization 1 mixing local traditions and Egyptian influences.
Bronze Age artifacts used meteoric iron
You may already be surprised to hear there are iron objects dating back to the Bronze Age, but their meteorite origin is even more astonishing. Though meteorites had already been recognized as one source of this metal, the scientific community couldn't determine whether they accounted for most or simply a few Bronze Age iron artifacts.
You may already be surprised to hear there are iron objects dating back to the Bronze Age, but their meteorite origin is even more astonishing. Though meteorites had already been recognized as one source of this metal, the scientific community couldn't determine whether they accounted for most or simply a few Bronze Age iron artifacts.
To solve mysteries about ancient works or authenticate heritage objects, specialists often need support from science. Since 1988, AGLAÉ has been installed at the Centre de Recherche et de Restauration des Musées de France (C2RMF, Palais du Louvre). It is the only particle accelerator in the world that is exclusively dedicated to studying heritage objects.
