On July 27th 2020, ArkeoTopia met with Aurélie Pettoello for an interview. Author of a collection of nursery rhymes about human prehistory titled Prehistoric nursery rhymes (Comptines préhistoriques), published by L’Hydre, this prehistory enthusiast spoke with us about the origin of the project and the future of this beautiful collection, which is unfortunately currently out of stock.

Prehistoric nursery rhymes
Interview with Aurélie Pettoello

Aurélie Pettoello, who are you?

A simple prehistory lover! Even from a young age, I always wanted to be an archaeologist. Over time, this desire developed into a more precise aim: interacting with the public and sharing this passion with as many people as possible. After studying prehistory at the University of Bordeaux I, it was natural for me to move into outreach activities. I started out doing training and summer jobs and it eventually turned into a career. Today, I am a multimedia designer and screenwriter for Opixido communication agency. Working with museum outreach teams, I help create audiovisual and multimedia content for the general public to see in galleries. It is a fascinating job which allows me to cover all the archaeological and historical periods!

How did the Comptines préhistoriques collection come about?

In 2005, as part of my studies, I worked at the Musée national de Préhistoire (the National Museum of Prehistory) in Les Eyzies , firstly setting up the exhibition on the Big Cats of Prehistory and then, during the summer, as a receptionist and security agent. So I shared my time between the plentiful museum collections, the team and the researchers! A real source of inspiration! When I spoke with my colleague and illustrator Agnès Gourlay, who had already signed a partnership agreement with a publishing house to illustrate nursery rhymes, I took the plunge: one, two, three rhymes and then a whole collection was born. It has to be said that there was no shortage of subjects around me! Agnès and I presented the nursery rhymes to the editor. Interested, he very quickly accepted and took steps to publish the collection. My nursery rhymes and Agnès’ drawings were published in 2008. What a wonderful adventure!

What do the Comptines préhistoriques talk about? Are they about dinosaurs?

The Comptines préhistoriques are a fun way of talking about the different aspects of prehistory. Therefore, it is about Neanderthals, Cro-Magnons and animals that lived alongside these human beings… but, of course, no dinosaurs in this collection! Not only did human prehistory come about after the disappearance of the dinosaurs, but I also focused on the Paleolithic period. This second period of human prehistory took place between 500,000 and 12,000 BCE, whereas dinosaurs date from the end of the Cretaceous period, 65 million years ago.

The idea behind the collection was to try and be scientifically correct while using language which was fun and suitable for children. The aim was to write without teaching misconceptions! So, dinosaurs don’t feature here.

Who is the collection aimed at?

The collection is suitable for the first grades of elementary school, kindergarten and grades 1 and 2. It can be used in education to support the curriculum on discovering technical artifacts and the evolution of the environment. The nursery rhymes are short, rhythmic and simple to read and remember. Each rhyme deals with a particular subject: an animal, a way of life, a skill… Some are funny, others are more serious. They can be used in class or in the library. They can also accompany a project or a trip. I have already seen it used this way.

What was the exchange like between you and the illustrator?

Agnès and I were already friends and colleagues. I am a big fan of her illustration work, which combines ink and watercolor. It was an honor to have her illustrate my nursery rhymes and bring them to life! She illustrated the rhymes with great accuracy. So, it was a very positive exchange!

What link would you make between your book and archaeology?

My book really speaks to children. For me, it’s a little springboard to take children and their imaginations to the heart of human prehistory. By simply and accurately bringing them various subjects on this theme, I hope to spark interest in at least one theme that they will then have plenty of time to explore with other resources or books. It is a bit like an open door to human prehistory!

All of this knowledge about ancient periods would not exist without archaeology and the work led by researchers, so the relationship is clear. From one book of simple and fun nursery rhymes, children are led to ask the question: How do we know all these things about prehistory? How do we know about all these lifestyles and the relationship between mankind and its environment? With the support of other scientific disciplines like archaeozoology, archaeobotany etc., archaeology can answer us!

For example, with Merci le renne ! (Thank you reindeer!) children can discover the technical knowledge of human beings from the Paleolithic period which allows them to talk about reconstructing the operating chain; a fundamental tool of archaeological research. With Le fric des préhistoriques ! (Prehistoric cash!), they will discover expressions linked to money today, while realizing that during the Paleolithic period, although money didn’t exist, people did barter and so children get an idea of the traces left for archaeologists to reconstruct these economic exchanges.

Give us at least one reason to read this collection

To enjoy a little pleasant reading session with children? Or even, deciding on a destination for your next holiday in order to find out more about a place, a human activity, an environment. France is overflowing with an extraordinary heritage of human prehistory.

Is the collection easy to find in bookshops?

The collection sold out fairly quickly because we had produced a small print of just 1500 copies. Unfortunately, the publishing house no longer exists. I fear that it is difficult to find the book now! It can only be found in second-hand bookshops and on second-hand sales platforms.

I would be delighted to be able to re-edit this collection, even to participate in a new collection with another poet interested in the rigorous yet fun approach. Maybe ArkeoTopia could get involved? Octave, the poet in the gang of budding archaeologists, is well suited to popularizing his work for younger audiences.

Is there anything else you wish to add?

I have loved writing these nursery rhymes, seeing them being beautifully illustrated and sharing some of my passion. I like bridging the gap between simple literature for young children and the complex subjects of human History, such as human prehistory. So I am delighted that associations like ArkeoTopia are helping to spread the word about these tools!

To find out more

Comptines préhistoriques, Price: €6.50
Format : 170 X 110 mm – 57 pages colored brochure with colored cover.
Author : Aurélie Pettoello
Illustrations : Agnès Gourlay
Hydre jeunesse publisher (2008) – ISBN : 978-2-9137-0390-2
Find some of Aurélie Pettoello’s nursery rhymes in French on the page “Collection of poems on Human History”..

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