{"id":25270,"date":"2026-07-29T13:18:47","date_gmt":"2026-07-29T11:18:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ispc.cnr.it\/?p=25270"},"modified":"2026-07-29T15:14:20","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T13:14:20","slug":"a-summer-of-discovery-in-paris-revisiting-north-africas-archaeological-heritage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ispc.cnr.it\/en\/2026\/07\/29\/a-summer-of-discovery-in-paris-revisiting-north-africas-archaeological-heritage\/","title":{"rendered":"A summer of discovery in Paris: revisiting North Africa’s archaeological heritage at the Mus\u00e9um national d’Histoire naturelle"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A summer of discovery in Paris: revisiting North Africa’s archaeological heritage at the Mus\u00e9um national d’Histoire naturelle<\/h1>\n

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This summer, Giulio Lucarini, Senior Researcher at CNR ISPC, joined the Mus\u00e9um national d’Histoire naturelle (MNHN<\/strong>) in Paris as Invited Professor, carrying out research on some of the most important North African archaeological collections preserved in France within the framework of the UPSTREAM project<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>

During June and July 2026, hosted by the CNRS UMR 7194 research unit Histoire naturelle des humanit\u00e9s pr\u00e9historiques<\/strong>, Lucarini conducted an intensive research programme focused on\u00a0 archaeological collections housed at the Mus\u00e9e de l’Homme<\/strong> and the Institut de Pal\u00e9ontologie Humaine<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The fellowship was developed within the framework of the UPSTREAM project (UPdating Sources, Tools and REsearch in Archaeological Collections of the Maghreb)<\/strong>, which aims to reassess historical archaeological collections through innovative methodologies, international collaboration, and digital accessibility.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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Exploring historical collections of North Africa<\/h3>\n

During his stay in Paris, Lucarini examined a wide range of archaeological materials housed at the Mus\u00e9e de l’Homme<\/strong> and the Institut de Pal\u00e9ontologie Humaine<\/strong>. These collections include stone and bone tools, personal ornaments, mobiliary art, grinding implements, and faunal remains recovered during excavations conducted across the Maghreb throughout the twentieth century.<\/p>\n

These artefacts represent a unique record of North Africa’s prehistoric past and continue to offer valuable insights into the lives, technologies, and cultural practices of ancient communities. At the same time, they reflect a complex historical context, as many were collected during the colonial period. Revisiting these collections today therefore requires both scientific rigour and a critical awareness of their historical and ethical dimensions.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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\u201cThese collections are far more than museum archives. They are repositories of knowledge that can still transform our understanding of North Africa’s prehistory. By combining new analytical methods, international collaboration, and open digital access, UPSTREAM is helping to bring this knowledge back into circulation and make it available to a broader scientific community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Says Giulio Lucarini, Senior Researcher at CNR ISPC<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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