Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Laurent Archaeological Museum is housed in a 12th century Romanesque church, located in Grenoble on the remains of a Gallo-Roman necropolis. Desecrated in 1983, it became a museum in 1986 after archaeological excavations carried out since the 19th century. The site, classified as a Historic Monument since 1977, reveals a pile of buildings, including the 6th century crypt of Saint-Oyand, the jewel of the site.

The St. Lawrence church, rebuilt in the 12th century on a 9th century Carolingian church, itself built on a 6th century funeral church, bears witness to the evolution of religious and funeral practices. The Benedictine priory, active until 1790, underwent major transformations, notably under the impulse of the monks of Saint-Chaffre in the 11th century. The site, studied in 1803 by Jacques-Joseph Champollion, brother of Egyptologist, benefited from the intervention of Prosper Mérimée for his classification in 1850.

The archaeological excavations, initiated in 1978 under the direction of Renée Colardelle, revealed more than 1,500 burials dating from the 4th to the 18th century, as well as 3,000 objects (ceramics, goldsmiths, glassware). These discoveries allow us to study the evolution of funeral rites, religious beliefs and living conditions of the Grenoblus populations over 16 centuries. The crypt of Saint-Oyand, classified in 1850, is one of the few monuments of the High Middle Ages preserved in elevation in Europe.

The museum, reopened in 2011 after extensive work, offers immersive scenography with glass and steel bridges, bright projections and interactive terminals. It highlights architectural strata, from Gallo-Roman mausoleums to medieval fortifications and monastic transformations. The tour invites you to discover the history of the site through its remains, burials and objects, while respecting the integrity of the excavations.

The management of the museum, owned by the City of Grenoble, was entrusted to the Departmental Council of Isère in 1992. The site, labeled Musée de France, hosts temporary exhibitions, educational workshops and cultural events. It offers a dive into the funeral and religious history of Grenoble, from the early times of Christianity to the modern era, through the Carolingian and Benedictine periods.

Highlights include a 13th century skeleton with rare congenital malformation, traces of medieval tuberculosis, and isotopic analyses revealing diets and breastfeeding practices. These anthropological and paleopathological studies enrich the understanding of the lifestyles, beliefs and health challenges of past populations.

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