1This volume is a tribute to Dr Jean Clottes, one of the most outstanding rock art researchers in history. In his role as the General Inspector for Archaeology at the French Ministry of Culture, he has continued the French “dynasty”, arising with Henri Breuil and later André Leroi-Gourhan, of guiding the discipline towards a scientific direction by example. His probably greatest contribution to rock art research are the exemplary research programs he directed at Cosquer Cave, discovered in 1985 near Marseille, and Chauvet-Pont d’Arc Cave, discovered in December 1994 in the Ardèche. Both sites are not only exceptional representatives of Pleistocene cave art; they are also among the most painstakingly studied rock art sites in the world. Especially the Chauvet project has been remarkable in the scope of new knowledge it has yielded, and in the high standards of research it has pioneered since 1995. The project has become a paragon, an embodiment of excellence in the field, under Clottes’ leadership. I had the privilege of spending four days in the cave with Jean, and witnessing first-hand the methodology he was developing with his outstanding multidisciplinary team.

2Jean’s degree of dedication to his projects is perhaps best illustrated by the way he approached with J. Courtin, the exploration of Cosquer Cave, whose 175 m long entrance tunnel begins 37 m below water. In the Pleistocene, the cave was well above sea level. The dive to access it today is so dangerous that in 1991 three experienced divers perished attempting it. Jean had not been inside the cave, having had to direct its exploration from a nearby boat via a video link. Frustrated by this impediment, he resolved to learn how to dive when, aged almost 60, he attended the 1992 IFRAO Congress in Cairns, Australia. In the early seventies he has dived into Cosquer Cave dozens of times, undeterred by the dangers involved. His determination is reminiscent of the commitment and courage of scientists in the 19th century, some of whom also accepted great dangers to life and limb in the devotion to their work.

3In the same year, 1992, Jean established the International Newsletter On Rock Art (INORA), a bilingual newsletter presenting each published paper in both French and English. He has since produced three issues of INORA every year, a veritable resource about new discoveries of rock art throughout the world. This editorial work came in addition to his more than 500 academic papers, and over 30 books written or co-written by him.

4Particularly important and consequential has been Jean’s involvement in IFRAO, the International Federation of Rock Art Organisations. In September 2010 he organised and chaired the 15th IFRAO Congress in Tarascon-sur-Ariège near Foix, which was the first time the event had been held in France. Its most appropriate topic was ‘Pleistocene Art of the World’, it had a record attendance and marked the beginning of Jean’s Presidency of IFRAO. But perhaps more importantly than that, he is universally regarded as the highly respected elder statesman of the Federation.

5Jean has received many honours, including the Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (1973), Commander dans l’Ordre National du Mérite (2015), Commander dans l’ordre des Palmes académiques (2007) and Chevalier dans l’Ordre de la Légion d’Honneur (2010). But he was particularly touched by an honour conferred on him by the Tuareg of the western Sahara, where he has also worked extensively. They made him an honorary Tuareg in 2007 and named him Almawekil. Not surprisingly, that name translates into ‘Our Respected Representative’. And in 2007 it was in a remote corner of the Sahara that Jean buried his wife, in a Tuareg ceremony.

6Jean Clottes is a man larger than life: he is one of those rare scholars who inspire subsequent generations, who are role models for us all. He is a legend in his own life time. This book is dedicated to him.