| Summary: | The fragility of archaeological assets has led the state to organize their protection by law, controlling research carried out on national territory and under water. Legal developments have been aimed at strengthening the protection of archaeological sites. The state has entrusted the Ministry of Culture with this essential mission. In France about 85 per cent of archaeological activity is considered preventive (diagnoses and excavations). This is a far cry from the adventurous image of the archaeologist making invaluable discoveries on construction sites around the world, or Indiana Jones! Employed mainly by the Institut National de Recherches Archéologiques Préventives, museums, local authorities and private operators, the 3,000 French archaeologists can also work on programmed sites, where the aim is to search and study all the traces left by ancient civilizations.
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