14 Facts About Henri Breuil

Henri Breuil studied cave art in the Somme and Dordogne valleys as well as in Spain, Portugal, Italy, Ireland, China with Teilhard de Chardin, Ethiopia, British Somali Coast Protectorate, and especially southern Africa.

Henri Breuil received his education at the Seminary of St Sulpice and the Sorbonne and was ordained in 1900, and was given permission to pursue his research interests.

In 1904 Henri Breuil had recognised that a pair of 13,000-year-old carvings of reindeer at the British Museum were in fact one composition.

Henri Breuil assumed a post as lecturer at the University of Fribourg in 1905, and in 1910 became professor of prehistoric ethnology in Paris and at the College de France from 1925.

Henri Breuil was a competent draughtsman, reproducing faithfully the cave paintings he encountered.

Henri Breuil published many books and monographs, introducing the caves of Lascaux and Altamira to the general public and becoming a member of the Institut de France in 1938.

Henri Breuil visited the excavations associated with Peking Man at Zhoukoudian, China in 1931 and confirmed the presence of stone tools at the site.

Henri Breuil performed three expeditions to South West Africa and Rhodesia between 1947 and 1950.

Henri Breuil described this period as "the most thrilling years of my research life".

Henri Breuil had excursions to South West Africa and Bechuanaland with a local archeologist, Kosie Marais.

Henri Breuil returned to France in 1952 and produced a series of publications sponsored by the government of South Africa.

Henri Breuil's books contain valuable photographs and sketches of the art works at the sites he visited but are marred by official South African racism.

Henri Breuil developed elaborate scenarios to attribute Caucasian authorship to the paintings he studied.

Henri Breuil was President of the PanAfrican Archaeological Association from 1947 to 1955.