2023-12-19 13:36:00
In his journey, Before writing – Signs, figures, words. Journey to the sources of imagination (trans. Jacques Dalarun, Seuil), Silvia Ferrara takes us to discover the first graphic traces left by humanity, from Pech Merle to Yenikapi in Turkey, from the engravings of giraffes in the Sahara to the petroglyphs of Hawaii, and from the temples of Göbekli Tepe to the mysterious symbols of the sea caves of Salento . Enough to be fascinated by ancient representations of men, women and extinct animals, as well as by enigmatic geometric figures without explanation.
Silvia Ferrara explores the origins of symbols, icons, signs and words, questioning their creators, intentions and understandings. It highlights the human capacity to transform reality and animate it through these abstract forms of expression. Although the interpretations of these prehistoric writings sometimes remain uncertain, they continue to inspire our imagination.
Professor of Mycenaean philology at the University of Bologna, Silvia Ferrara also directs the European research program INSCRIBE (Invention of Scripts and their Beginnings), which is dedicated to the study of the origins of writing.
The literary award, focused on the fields of ethnology, extra-European history and art history, was awarded to Quai Branly Museum this December 18. Endowed with a sum of 10,000 euros, it is awarded annually either to a promising young researcher or to a scientist recognized in his field.
Each year, the Scientific Committee of the Martine Aublet Foundation proposes to the Board of Directors a list of around ten major works, written in French and published in the last two years, as well as a selection of influential scientific figures in these areas.
Prize list of the Martine Aublet Foundation prize since its creation:
2012 I Françoise Héritier – The Salt of LifeOdile Jacob
2014 I Maurice Godelier – Levi StraussThreshold
2015 I Emmanuelle Loyer – Levi StraussFlammarion
2016 I Philippe Paquet – Simon LeysGallimard
2018 I Sanjay Subrahmanyam – India under the eyes of Europe, Alma Editor
2019 I Michael Lucken – Greek JapanGallimard
2020 I Gilles Havard – Ghost America. French-speaking adventurers from the New WorldFlammarion
2021 I Philippe Descola – The forms of the visibleThreshold
2022 I Jean-Claude Monod (dir) – Lévi-Strauss DictionaryBooks
Find the list of French and French-speaking literary prizes
Credits photo : Karibo (CC BY-SA 2.5)
1702994167
#Martine #Aublet #Prize #awarded #Silvia #Ferrara