Influencia del pensamiento etnológico en la interpretación de Leroi-Gourhan del arte paleolítico

Andre Leroi-Gourhan took part in the modernization process experienced by French prehistory in the midtwentieth century. In this context, he worked hard to build an interdisciplinary prehistoric science with strong links with anthropology and ethnology. In this paper, we examine how Leroi-Gourhan’s interpretation of Palaeolithic art was shaped by his understanding of the relationships between prehistory and ethnology. This is particularly evident, for instance, in the influence that French ethnologist Marcel Mauss exerted upon Leroi-Gourhan’s thinking on artistic behavior. Similarly, Andre Leroi-Gourhan understanding of Palaeolithic art was grounded on a number of ethnological ideas. Additionally, we discuss the reception that these new conceptions of prehistoric art had in French, Spanish and Anglo-Saxon archaeological traditions. Finally, we examine whether the new perspective of prehistoric art that Leroi-Gourhan introduced in the 1960s can be examined with reference to the concept of interdisciplinarity.