Pedro Lima : Text
Philippe Psaïla : Photographs and 3D Pictures
Guy Perazio : 3D model

Chauvet-Pont d'Arc cave : The first masterpiece of humanity revealed by 3D

 © by Pedro Lima, Philippe Psaïla, Guy Perazio

Imagine a book that is greater than the sum of its parts.

As we know, the construction of an entity is more important than the individual pieces of the entity on their own. Just as the human body is composed of bones, muscle and organs, individually these components are limited. Put them all together, however, and there is a body capable of walking, breathing, talking and creating.

This 'synergy', the combination of multiple ingredients producing a result greater than the simple arithmetic summation of the individual components, is reflected in this new publication. More than in-depth descriptions and explanations with stunning colour images, CHAUVET-PONT D'ARC CAVE: THE FIRST MASTERPIECE OF HUMANITY REVEALED BY 3D allows the reader to explore the wonders of Chauvet in a new, exciting and potentially limitless way.

Yes, the book tells the story of the Chauvet Pont d'Arc Cave, decorated 36,000 years ago by our Aurignacian ancestors, discovered in 1994 by three speleologists, and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014. And given the age, extent and power of the art of Chauvet, the publication avoids pretentious exaggerations and apotheosis - no gush and gaff. It gets straight down to the order of business: the geology and prehistorical background, from discovery to scientific study, the initiation and importance of the 3D survey, the paradigm shift in the research and understanding of prehistoric art, a handsome array of enhanced images from the 3D model of the main decorated chambers and finally an in-depth explanation of the new Chauvet cave replica known as the Pont d'Arc Cavern. In this respect, therefore, it endorses Jean Clottes' earlier publication 'Return to Chauvet Cave'. But with CHAUVET-PONT D'ARC CAVE: THE FIRST MASTERPIECE OF HUMANITY REVEALED BY 3D, using the latest 3D technology, the full beauty of 'humanity's first artworks' unfolds beyond its 208 pages, where readers become viewers with access to enhanced content via the Internet and a dedicated application. The publication's multimedia enhancement, accessible from every corner of the globe, represents the hyper-modern reflecting and enhancing the hyper-ancient.

• Paperback
• ISBN-10: 2954288833
• ISBN-13: 978-2954288833
• Publisher: Synops (24 July 2014)
• Product Dimensions: 27 x 22 x 2 cm

Pedro Lima:

Pedro Lima has been a professional Scientific Journalist since 1993, as a free-lancer, covering fields such as prehistory, paleoanthropology and parietal art. He has collaborated with many French and international magazines and has visited, for journalistic reports, many European and American rock art sites, such as the Chauvet Cave, Foz Côa (Portugal), Lascaux and Niaux (France), Cueva de las Manos (Argentina). He has published an article about fungus attacks in Lascaux, in 2012 in INORA : "Back to Balance", INORA Newsletter No. 62 - 2012.

Philippe Psaïla:

Philippe Psaïla is a photographer and videographer specializing in reports and documentaries on research, science and discovery.

→ Bradshaw Foundation - Book Review
→ The Cave Art Paintings of the Chauvet Cave
→ French Cave Paintings & Rock Art Archive