Last month was rich in archaeological activities, both locally and internationally!
We began with a very successful excavation in Brittany, at Vieux-Vy-sur-Couesnon, an Iron Age fortified site. Carried out in collaboration with Eveha, this excavation, co-directed by Yann Dufay-Garel and Hervé Duval-Gatignol revealed the remains of a monumental gateway, exceptionally well-preserved. This international project was a rare opportunity for the Société Jersiaise to be directly involved in an excavation on French soil. A Talk about the dig will be organised in the future.
Back in Jersey, it was already time for the final season of excavation at La Hougue de Vinde at Saint Brelade, as part of the JICAS Archaeological Summer School. This three-year programme, conducted alongside Helen Dawson (University of Tübingen), aimed to reassess the archaeological potential of this little-known monument. Despite earlier interventions, we were able to uncover new architectural features that will help us better understand its construction and purposes from the Neolithic to the Early Bronze Age.
Our team also contributed to the Council for British Archaeology (CBA) Festival with a series of events in Jersey that gathered enthusiastic public participation. More information on these activities is available via the Archaeology Section’s latest newsletter.
And the digging season is not over yet! We are about to launch a three-week excavation on a small farmstead thought to date back to the Iron Age, over 2,000 years ago. This new project, which Hervé Duval-Gatignol is directing, aims to document and better understand land occupation during this period in Jersey. It will involve Members and Volunteers from the Société Jersiaise, and updates will be shared regularly on our Facebook page and website.
- Open Day – Tuesday 19 August (afternoon): Visit the site, meet the team and see some of the discoveries firsthand. Further information to follow:
- End-of-Dig Talk – Friday 22 August (afternoon): A short presentation about the site and latest results will take place at the Members’ Room of Société Jersiaise. Places will be limited and booking will be available soon via Eventbrite.
Dr Hervé Duval-Gatignol
