Archaeologist Reveals Madagascar Pirate Secrets at Paris University Event
Archaeologist presents fieldwork on Indian Ocean pirate settlements through documentary and public dialogue
Archaeologist Jean Soulat will take questions from a public audience at Université Paris Cité on October 1, 2026, following a documentary screening built around his own fieldwork off the coast of Madagascar. The event runs from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Halles aux Farines building on the Esplanade Vidal-Naquet in Paris’s 13th arrondissement. Admission is free.
The evening opens with a screening of “Madagascar, le repaire des pirates,” a documentary produced by Stéphane Bégoin and David Tiago Ribeiro. The film follows Soulat and his research team as they investigate a shipwreck on Sainte Marie island, a site that offers direct physical evidence of how pirates operated and lived in the Indian Ocean. Successive discoveries documented during the expedition give the film its structure, moving viewers from surface finds toward a clearer picture of daily life in historical pirate settlements.
Additional reference context is available at https://unidivers.fr/event/projection-rencontre-madagascar-le-repaire-secret-des-pirates-universite-ouverte-universite-paris-cite-paris-paris-2026-10-01t2000000200/.
Soulat is well placed to unpack what the cameras captured. He holds a doctorate in archaeology and directs the Piracy Archaeology Research Program. He also serves as an associate researcher at the Laboratory of the Americas (ArchAm UMR 8096) at Paris 1 University and at the Michel de Boüard Center (Craham UMR 6273) at the University of Caen, where his focus is the material evidence left behind by pirate communities and maritime activity more broadly.
After the screening, Soulat will present his findings and open the floor to questions. The format is deliberate: pairing a documentary with direct researcher dialogue is how the Université Ouverte moves specialized archaeological knowledge out of academic journals and into public conversation.
The evening closes with a book signing. The Maruani bookstore will operate on-site, with copies of Soulat’s publications available for purchase, giving attendees the chance to acquire signed editions and continue conversations with him in person.
His work sits within a growing scholarly interest in maritime history and the physical traces left by seafaring communities, particularly in the Indian Ocean, where pirate activity shaped trade routes and complicated colonial encounters across several centuries.
Registration details and the full event listing are available at the official page, or by contacting the Université Ouverte directly at [email protected]. Whether the Sainte Marie wreck holds further undisclosed findings that Soulat plans to present on the night remains an open question for those who show up.
Q&A
What is the date, time, and location of the event at Université Paris Cité?
The event takes place on October 1, 2026, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Halles aux Farines building on the Esplanade Vidal-Naquet in Paris's 13th arrondissement.
What documentary will be screened and who produced it?
'Madagascar, le repaire des pirates' was produced by Stéphane Bégoin and David Tiago Ribeiro. The film follows Soulat and his research team as they investigate a shipwreck on Sainte Marie island.
What are Jean Soulat's professional affiliations and research focus?
Soulat holds a doctorate in archaeology and directs the Piracy Archaeology Research Program. He serves as an associate researcher at the Laboratory of the Americas (ArchAm UMR 8096) at Paris 1 University and at the Michel de Boüard Center (Craham UMR 6273) at the University of Caen, focusing on material evidence of pirate communities and maritime activity.
What activities are included in the evening's program?
The evening includes a documentary screening, a presentation by Soulat with a public question-and-answer session, and a book signing with copies of Soulat's publications available for purchase through the Maruani bookstore.