Jean Clottes

Jean Clottes is a distinguished French prehistorian, born in the Pyrénées region in 1933. His journey into the world of archaeology began in 1959 while he was teaching high school. Clottes initially dedicated his research to Neolithic dolmens, culminating in a Ph.D. thesis at the University of Toulouse in 1975. In 1971, he took on the role of director of prehistoric antiquities for the Midi-Pyrénées, which set him on a path to explore prehistoric cave art, a subject that would define much of his career.

Throughout the years, Clottes led numerous excavations at prehistoric sites, significantly contributing to the understanding of early human expression. His expertise earned him the position of General Inspector for Archaeology at the French Ministry of Culture in 1992, and the following year, he became a Scientific Advisor for prehistoric rock art. Though he officially retired in 1999, Clottes continues to be an influential figure in the field.

With over 300 scholarly articles to his name, he has written, edited, or contributed to more than 20 books and has shared his knowledge through lectures across the globe. Clottes has also taught at institutions like the University of Toulouse and the University of California at Berkeley. His contributions have been recognized with several honors, including an honorary title from the Blue Tuareg people of the Sahara Desert in 2007.