Breuil, Henri Edouard Prosper

Breuil, Henri Edouard Prosper 

Born Feb. 28, 1877, in Mortain; died Aug. 14, 1961, in Paris. French archaeologist and abbot. Specialist in the Paleolithic period and in the history of primitive art.

Breuil established the existence both of the Aurignacian period of Upper Paleolithic Western Europe and of the Lower Paleolithic Clactonian complex, which is distinguished by the absence of manual cutting tools. Breuil did a great deal for the study of Paleolithic cave art and of primitive rock paintings in Africa, northern Spain, and southern France. Many of his theoretical positions are of a false and idealistic nature.

WORKS

Les Subdivisions du paléolithique supérieur et leur signification, 2nd ed. [Paris] 1937.
“Les Industries à éclats du paléolithique ancien: I—Le Clactonien.” Préhistoire, 1932, vol. 1, fasc. 2.
Quatre cent siècles d’art pariétal. [No place, 1952.]

P. I. BORISKOVSKII