De la Dordogne aux tropiques : les missions archéologiques françaises au Brésil

Abstract

This article revisits the history of French archaeological missions in Brazil through a critical examination of institutional, academic and scientific contexts, aiming to deepen the understanding of French influence in the history of Brazilian archeology. It highlights scientific and diplomatic aspects that gave rise to extended research programs in Brazil, the empiricism of French Americanism, the focus on the origins of the « American man », and the preference for the study of ancient contexts, transporting to the tropics approaches associated with « prehistoric science », which was issued from excavations of sites in the Dordogne, but is practiced today in a global perspective.

Keywords

• Brazilian archaeology
• French scientific missions
• americanism
• amerindian origins prehistory
• Brazil
• France