Archaeological Collections of Prehistory

T

he archaeological collections of the Prehistory Unit at the University of Liège result from a rich research tradition at the University of Liège with pioneering work in human evolution and numerous excavations spearheaded by members of the University. Philippe-Charles Schmerling (1790–1836), discovered, alongside the bones of extinct animal species, flint and bone artefacts from the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic periods that had been fashioned by humans, as well as human remains (including the skull of a Neanderthal child!). Before Darwin and Boucher de Perthes, he provided evidence of the antiquity of the human species and was the first to discover Neanderthal remains at Engis, long before the species was defined following the discoveries at Neanderthal in Germany. Maximin Lohest (1857–1926) was involved in the discovery of Neanderthal remains at the Spy Cave, a project on which he also collaborated with the palaeontologist Julien Fraipont (1857–1910) and with Marcel de Puydt (1855–1940). Joseph Hamal-Nandrin (1869–1958), who held the first chair of Prehistory in Belgium, conducted major excavations at the Grotte du Coléoptère, which yielded remains dating from the Upper Palaeolithic. Hélène Danthine (1910–1992) carried out excavations at several important sites, including the Omal site, which dates from the Middle Palaeolithic. Also Marguerite Ulrix-Closset (1920–2012) contributed to the elaboration of the collections, as well as multiple excavations under the supervision of Marcel Otte and Pierre Noiret. Particularly during the period from the 1940s to the 1990s, the collections were significantly expanded upon thanks to excavations at Chaleux, Furfooz, Presle, Remouchamps, Trou da Somme, Maisières-Canal, etc.

The archaeological collections are currently undergoing substantial revision and inventory within the framework of a Strategic Opportunity grant awarded to Veerle Rots by the University’s Research Council, which permitted to hire Raphaël Gerssen. This work, performed in collaboration with Jean-Marc Léotard, is essential to ensure the long-term preservation of the archaeological material and protect its research value.