Discovering Archaeozoology with the Jaussen & Savignac Master 1 Programme
In November 2026, students enrolled in the Master 1 in Archaeology and Preventive Conservation of the Jaussen & Savignac Programme (Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and the Royal Commission for AlUla) took part in an introductory session on archaeozoology at the Maison des sciences humaines et sociales Mondes, on the Nanterre campus.
Accompanied by Dr Giulia Nicatore, the students were welcomed by Laure Fontana, a researcher at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and a member of the Environmental Archaeology team at the Archaeology and Ancient Sciences Laboratory (ArScAn), who led the session devoted to the study of animal remains in archaeological contexts.
The session gave students an opportunity to discover the contributions of archaeozoology to archaeological research and to gain a better understanding of the information that the study of animal bones can provide about past societies. Discussions focused in particular on interpreting these remains in relation to environmental contexts and chronological periods.
The session was organised into three parts: an introduction to the discipline and its main methods, a visit to the osteological reference collection and its comparative specimens, and a practical exercise in identifying the long bones of different animal species.
This experience provided students with a hands-on introduction to the methods and tools of archaeozoology, while highlighting the importance of studying faunal remains to deepen our understanding of the environments and ways of life of ancient societies.