The month of August was mostly dedicated to the excavation conducted at Mont Cochon, St. Helier. This site, identified by the Field Archaeology Department in 2023, was confirmed to be a small rural farmstead from the Late Iron Age, as suspected prior to the excavations. A geophysical survey allowed to obtain a mapping of the archaeological remains, guiding the choice of the excavation areas.
Mont Cochon stands out as an exception, being the first farmstead of this type to be excavated on such a large scale in Jersey—although much of the site still remains to be uncovered. However, it is certain that a significant number of similar sites – of various periods- remain to be discovered within the Bailiwick of Jersey. This excavation marks the beginning of what we hope will be a fruitful research journey in the coming years. The Field Archaeology Department is committed to securing the necessary resources to develop this research theme, which has been neglected for too long, and which promises to add new chapters to the island’s history.
The interest shown by the members of the Société Jersiaise, the public, and the media has been a clear reflection of the enthusiasm generated by this excavation. This was particularly the case during the Open Day and the Talk held at the end of the archaeological operation. We will provide more information on future research endeavors and on the post-excavation results from Mont Cochon, which are set to begin in October with the help of the Archaeology Section.
Finally, we would like to extend our gratitude to all the Members involved in the dig, our students, Marc Yates, head of the Archaeology Section, and David Le Long, head of the Numismatic Section, for their invaluable support during this excavation. Their contributions have been essential to our success, and we owe them a great deal.
