Dr. Paul G. Bahn is a leading archaeological writer, translator, and broadcaster in the field of archaeology. He is a Contributing Editor of the AIA’s Archaeology magazine, and his article “Cloning Altamira” (Archaeology, March/April 2001) focused on the Altamira II complex and museum that we visit on this program. Dr. Bahn has written extensively on prehistoric art, including the books Images of the Ice Age, The Cambridge Illustrated History of Prehistoric Art and Cave Art: A Guide to the Decorated Ice Age Caves of Europe. Dr. Bahn has also authored and/or edited many books on more general archaeological subjects, bringing a broad perspective to understanding the sites and museums that we will visit. Such titles include The Cambridge World Prehistory; The Cambridge Illustrated History of Archaeology; Archaeology: Theories, Methods and Practice; Archaeology: The Essential Guide to Our Human Past; and The Penguin Archaeology Guide.
Born in Kingston-upon-Hull, Britain, he holds a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge, and is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, a Corresponding Member of the AIA, and a member of numerous international professional organizations, including the Prehistoric Society and the Société Préhistorique Française. Dr. Bahn has been involved in bringing the field of archaeology to television in various capacities. He was an advisor in the Dordogne and Pyrenees on the BBC production of The Making of Mankind, a consultant on a segment of WGBH’s Nova trilogy Human Origins, filmed in France, and he is currently filming a series of television documentaries on world rock art. His research and lecturing on archaeological study tours have taken him to important archaeological sites around the world in Europe, North America, Africa, and Polynesia. He is a gifted and popular lecturer who regularly leads AIA tours to study the prehistory of western Europe. Dr. Bahn’s broad expertise in the area of prehistoric art, combined with fluency in French and a deep regard for the regions we will visit, uniquely qualify him as a lecturer par excellence.
Noted archaeological writer and expert on prehistoric art and early man
