Faculté des sciences Faculté des sciences

Welcome to the Laboratory of prehistoric archaeology and anthropology

Our research activities are based on the scientific heritage of several generations of scholars at the University of Geneva, such as Eugène Pittard, Marc-Rodolphe Sauter and Alain Gallay.

Research at the Laboratory of prehistoric archaeology and anthropology (LAP), directed by Prof. Marie Besse, focuses on the interactions between man and his environment during late Prehistory – more particularly the Neolithic and the Metal Ages – mainly in Europe, Asia and America. Our laboratory combines the use of standard research methods of prehistoric archaeology with disciplines such as palaeoanthropology, archaeobotany, and archaeozoology to approach the technical, economic, social and ideological functioning of past societies. Complete training is provided to students through lectures, practicals, seminars, laboratory internships, museum internships, fieldwork, analysis of these practices, visits of archaeological sites and museums, personal research work such as bachelor or master theses. There is a strong emphasis on a balance of theoretical and practical work, since frequent switches between the two is the foundation on which the construction of new knowledge best takes place.