CHAUVET-PONT D’ARC CAVE: THE FIRST MASTERPIECE OF HUMANITY REVEALED BY 3D
By Pedro Lima
Photographs and 3D Images by Philippe Psaïla
3D Model: Perazio Engineering
Preface by Aurélie Filippetti, Minister of Culture and Communication, France
This book tells the fabulous story of the Chauvet Pont d’Arc Cave, decorated 36,000 years ago by our Aurignacian ancestors, discovered in 1994 by three speleologists and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014.
Using the latest 3D technology, the full beauty of humanity’s first artworks unfolds over 208 pages. From the pages of the book, readers may access enhanced content via Internet and a dedicated application.
A LAVISHLY ILLUSTRATED BOOK THAT CONTINUES ON THE WEB AND WITH A DIGITAL APP.
Pedro Lima, a scientific journalist specialising in prehistory and parietal art, wrote the text. His work has given him the opportunity to visit numerous decorated sites, among them Lascaux and Chauvet-Pont d'Arc.
Philippe Psaïla, photographer and videographer specialising in research, science and discovery, made the photographs and images inside the 3D model of the Chauvet-Pont d'Arc cave. He visited the original cave, and his pictures do justice to its incomparable beauty.
Guy Perazio, created the 3D model used to make the pictures of cave art illustrating this work. He first entered the Chauvet-Pont d'Arc cave in 1997 to make the original topographic study and spent a total of 140 days there.
Created by press, image and graphics professionals, Synops (Publishing—Exhibitions—Productions) designs and creates reports, books, exhibitions and webdocs centred on the sciences and knowledge building.
Synops aims to share knowledge of the world surrounding us—past, present and future—by using the synergies between print and digital.
The Synapps application for smartphones and tablets is a veritable gateway between print and digital designed to prolong on the web the learning experience that is contained in our books in an intuitive and immersive way.
Experts in 3D studies and digitalisation of complex industrial and natural objects, Perazio Engineering has worked for many years in close collaboration with the French Ministry of Culture to digitalise the main prehistoric decorated caves, including Lascaux, Chauvet-Pont d’Arc and Font-de-Gaume. Their considerable expertise allows Perazio Engineering to overcome physical constraints inherent to underground environments (difficult access, extreme conditions) while respecting the conservation measures taken to preserve the integrity of this inestimable heritage of humanity.
www.perazio.com