It was at the Musée de la Civilisation gallo-romaine in Lyon, where he was a curator since its creation in 1966, that he built and nurtured his entire career. In the early 1970s, he spearheaded the relocation of the collections to the building designed by Bernard Zehrfuss with whom he had established a fruitful collaboration. From 1999 he became curator of the archaeological museums of Lyon and Saint-Romain-en-Gal, then director of the archaeological pole of the Rhône General Council until his retirement in the 2000s.
As director of the Historical Antiquities District of the Rhône-Alpes region from 1979 to 1989, he led parallel to his position as curator of a large museum, then as General Inspector of Archaeology at the Ministry of Culture until 1995, he nevertheless made his most important contribution to both regional and national archaeology.
Bearing an innovative vision based on the observation that archaeology still largely voluntary could no longer face the massive destruction of heritage generated since the 1960s by major works, It immediately establishes the preservation of heritage as a full component of the development work.
Understanding that the credibility of the archaeologists' intervention depends on their ability to intervene as early as possible in the works, to control the deadlines and to commit to the costs of the sites, he set up as soon as he was appointed in Rhône-Alpes-In the French Alps, the project involves contractual mechanisms for the financing of excavations by developers and relies on young archaeologists to whom it offers a professionalisation. Preventive archaeology - name and function - was born. These practices will gradually spread until the promulgation of the 2001 law on preventive archaeology.
As much concerned with the development of research and the safeguarding of archaeological heritage as with the professionalization of the discipline, it trains a number of archaeologists who from the 1980s will expand the regional services of archaeology and build contemporary national archaeology.
He is developing a collection – the Documents d'archéologie en Rhône-Alpes – to disseminate the results of regional research as widely as possible. He himself remains involved in research through publications devoted mainly to ancient Lyon.
Wherever he served, Jaques Lasfargues left a mark on his exacting professionalism, innovative and pragmatic ideas, conviction skills and strong personality.
The Ministry of Culture extends its most sincere condolences to his family, family and former colleagues and friends.
Cliché Inrap.
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