Plus belle la mort : enquêtes sur les rites funéraires de la Préhistoire

The exhibition “Plus belle la mort : enquêtes sur les rites funéraires de la Préhistoire” is held at the Cité de la Préhistoire, part of the Grand Site de France de l’Aven d’Orgnac, in Orgnac-l’Aven. It looks at how prehistoric people bade farewell to their loved ones, drawing on collections that have never been shown before.

An investigation into south-eastern burials, with objects never shown before

What gestures, rituals and symbols did our ancestors devise when someone close to them died? Visitors play detective and look into prehistoric funerary practices in an exhibition that the Ministry of Culture has recognised as an Exhibition of National Interest.

The story rests on major archaeological discoveries from south-eastern France, some of which the public has never seen. They show how rich and varied death-related practices were in prehistory: individual burial, collective megalithic tombs, funeral pyres, cannibalism and post-mortem manipulations. Such acts point to the complex bonds between the living and the dead, within a setting that was very probably ritual and collective.

The route draws on exceptional prehistoric sites in the region, a few of them found by INRAP. It brings together items lent by partner regional museums and others taken from the Cité de la Préhistoire’s own collections, none of which have been displayed until now.

Social and cultural anthropology feeds a reflection on universal ideas: how people imagine the afterlife, the part played by offerings and rites, and the way emotions are expressed in the face of death. Visitors are invited to ask what role culture plays in how we view the end of life today. The exhibition thus offers a “sensitive, cultural immersion” into the history of prehistoric people and, implicitly, into our own relationship with death.

Touch replicas, build a mini dolmen, compose a funerary urn

Designed for all audiences, the exhibition relies on an interactive trail that combines handling, experimentation and reflection. Visitors can touch replicas of objects, build a mini dolmen, compose a funerary urn, or investigate with two large game-based installations devoted to the scientific disciplines that study burial sites.

Looking, handling and playing give a concrete grasp of what archaeologists actually do. At the end of the visit, a space for expression lets everyone share their own view of death. Guided tours, workshops and a booklet for young visitors round out the experience.

Talks and a round table on death, from the past to today

A programme of talks and discussions on the same theme accompanies the exhibition: lectures, a round table, dedicated days and workshops. The aim is to bring different perspectives on death together, from prehistory to the present day.