Les biens archéologiques mobiliers en contexte de diagnostic archéologique

Abstract

As a result of a renewed regulatory framework introduced by the LCAP law, the publicising of movable archaeological properties and the strengthening of the scientific and technical control (Cst) of State services in terms of collection management raise the question of the specificity of the treatment of collections during the archaeological diagnosis phase. This article provides a brief history of both the institutional and methodological treatment of this question, before analysing the difference in status that artefact encounters according to its place in the heritage chain. Indeed, it can be seen that artefact from the initial phase of archaeological operations does not meet the same obligations as object, even though it comes from the same taphonomic context, which is uncovered during an excavation operation. However, from a purely regulatory point of view, movable archaeological properties are invariable cultural objects, whatever the administrative context of their discovery. This state of affairs inevitably questions the place of the conservator-restorer in the current operational mechanisms of preventive archaeology.

Keywords

• diagnosis
• excavation
• regulations
• conservation-restoration
• treatment
• scientific control