Interview with SJ Field Archaeologist Dr. Hervé Duval-Gatignol
Last summer, a field in Mont Cochon became the site of an extensive three-week archaeological excavation and the discoveries made were fascinating. Directed by our very own Société Jersiaise Field Archaeologist Dr. Hervé Duval-Gatignol, the excavation uncovered some intriguing archaeological features and finds which could give us insights into how the land was used on the Island during the Iron Age.
I sat down with Dr. Duval-Gatignol to get his full round-up of the excavation, including his insights on these features and finds, and how his interest in this site was motivated by disproving what he believes to be a misunderstanding in the Archaeological field about how Jersey was used during the Iron Age period…
For those who aren’t aware, could you explain how you became interested in the Mont Cochon site as an area of archaeological interest?
I have a research interest in settlement sites, particularly fortified ones. However, in Jersey, I felt that not enough was known about rural sites, especially farmsteads. Until very recently, the absence of identified sites led to the belief that the Island was primarily used as a place of refuge during the Iron Age – an idea I strongly disagreed with. In 2020, my PhD research highlighted the role of small Islets and Islands during this period, which challenged this assumption.
In 2023, I managed to identify several rural sites using aerial imagery, and one of them was located in the Mont Cochon field. The general shape and linear anomalies gave me the impression of a farmstead like those found in Brittany or Normandy. The only way to be sure was to excavate!
Talk me through what goes into preparing for an excavation of this scale…
Preparing an excavation is always exciting, but it also requires a great deal of organisation: getting authorisations, preparing a method statement, ensuring sufficient resources and funding, and most importantly, assembling a dedicated team of volunteers! The Archaeology Section provided a lot of support, and our members showed great enthusiasm for the dig.
Within a couple of weeks, I had a team ready for action, made of both local volunteers and students from the UK and France. I strongly believe that excavation is a human adventure where we can all learn from one another. The landowner kindly agreed to let us excavate in 2024, and from there, it was just a matter of getting the necessary tools and renting a reliable mechanical digger with a skilled operator, which Barette Plant Hire provided.
Can you describe the actual excavation process itself? How did you manage the site and what kind of team did you have working with you on this?
Initially, I had planned to open narrow evaluation trenches, but after looking at the results of a geophysical survey conducted with the help of a colleague, Edward Blinkhorn (Senior Geoarchaeologist, University College London), I decided to take a different approach. Instead, I opened a large area and a long trench, aiming locations where I was expecting archaeological remains. In the end, the long trench revealed far more features than anticipated, while the large area mainly provided insight into the enclosure. I remember the first moments with the digger being quite intense, as I had to figure out the excavation depth and understand the field’s geology. Fortunately, within a couple of minutes, the first features (a ditch) became visible due to a clear change in soil colour.
Over the course of three weeks, we excavated and recorded around 50 archaeological features. On-site, we had a team of about ten people with different excavation experience. My assistant, Emilia McCammon (Undergraduate student, University College London), prepared a protocol in advance, and we held a briefing to explain how the excavation of features should be carried out. Given the complexity of Iron Age remains, the team did an excellent job. I was always thrilled for them when a pottery sherd or an artefact emerged. Discovering a 2,000-year-old object is always a rewarding experience. As the site director, I had little time to excavate myself, so my daily duties involved providing guidance, assisting when needed, and ensuring the accurate recording of finds.
There were a number of notable finds at the Mont Cochon dig, what were they and what have you discovered about these finds since the excavation? What further tests, if any, will you be carrying out on these finds?
Yes, indeed. Despite the small size of the excavation area – approximately 500 square meters – the finds were quite numerous. The excavated area represents only 2.5% of the field and likely around one-sixth of the entire farmstead. Thus, this is quite fortunate that we recovered so much datable material. In terms of archaeological finds, we uncovered Iron Age pottery sherds, animal bones, limpet shells, fragments of charcoals, a spindle-whorl, lithic material (tools and flint fragments), and pieces of daub.
The pottery sherds have all been cleaned with the help of the Société Jersiaise Archaeology Section Members, though they have yet to be drawn. Preliminary dating suggests they may belong to the very end of the Iron Age (2nd–1st centuries BCE), but this will be confirmed through further study and comparisons with Armorican pottery. The animal bones (jaws, teeth, long bones, and ribs) appear to come mostly from juvenile animals, suggesting that the farmstead had the resources to afford their early slaughter. Interestingly, after cleaning some pieces of daub, we discovered traces of a white coating, providing valuable insights into the architecture and appearance of the farmstead’s buildings. The limpets constitute a significant mass of shells, likely collected from the coastline, possibly near Elizabeth Castle, where the coastal environment would have facilitated such harvesting. Further analysis may determine whether the shells were selected based on size and whether their consumption was linked to a single event.
Techniques such as sclerochronology could offer more environmental insights but would require substantial resources. As part of our investigations, some charcoal samples will undergo radiocarbon (C14) dating to refine the site’s chronology. Additionally, a few pottery sherds appear to contain food residues on their interior surfaces, which could be analysed through Organic Residue Analysis (ORA). This would provide crucial insights into the types of organic substances once cooked in these pots, shedding light on ancient food production. However, such an analysis requires specialised funding, which we would need to look for and secure.
What light has this project shed on what life was like on this site during the Iron Age period?
This question touches on the very essence of archaeology. While we must remain cautious and avoid generalising our findings to the entire Island, some insights can already be drawn.
The excavation at Mont Cochon has provided valuable glimpses into daily life in Jersey during the Iron Age. This small family farm was likely the base of a Celtic society, centred around agro-pastoral activities that could sustain multiple generations, with periodic modifications to the farmstead through time.
In many ways, rural life at the time was not so different from the traditional farming practices that persisted in Jersey until relatively recently. Although it is still difficult to determine precisely which crops were cultivated or which animals were raised, ongoing research will help answer these questions in the coming years.
If, as I suspect, such farms were widespread across the Island, then they would have played a crucial role in making Jersey an important place for the Armoricans. The ceramics uncovered at the site, the numerous Iron Age coins and hoards found across the Island, and certain dietary practices (such as the consumption of limpets) echo the lifestyles of certain tribes like the Coriosolites. From a geopolitical perspective, Jersey was a key waypoint in cross-Channel maritime trade, an area to be controlled, with vast fertile lands that held significant economic value.
Are there any plans to carry out further excavations at this site and, if so, will your focus be any different based on the first excavation carried out in Summer 2024?
Following the excavation there are still a lot of research questions and archaeological interest for the site. With the owner’s permission, I would like to excavate one last time to finish what we’ve started. Some features appear to be part of a building and uncovering it entirely would provide the first architectural plan of an Iron Age house in Jersey. Not only does this matter from an architectural point of view, but the shape of houses is radically different from one side of the Channel to another, thus it could help to ascertain the precise tribe at the origin of this farmstead.
Additionally, getting dating material from the different systems of enclosure would help to explore the chronology of the farmstead during the Iron Age. Finally, by focusing the research area to the middle of the enclosure, we would have more chance to recover artifacts from the daily life, helping us to be more precise on the status of the farm.
We need to wait and see if the field is in good condition, following the previous dig – which I believe it is, as the digging would surely help to get a good production of potatoes this year! Then, respecting the decision of the owner, we will see if our questions could be answered on site for one final year.
You have big plans for 2025 in the Field Archaeology Department – what are you up to this year and how can people find out more/get involved?
After a period of report-writing during the Winter, Spring will be largely dedicated to preparing for upcoming excavations, as well as scientific conferences and talks. During the summer, I will lead several excavations and non-invasive surveys for the Field Archaeology Department and will certainly be looking for volunteers.
Our Archaeology Section, led by Marc Yates, is also very active, participating in a range of activities such as post-excavation work, surveys, and site visits. The recent excavation has helped attract new members, and it’s fantastic to see such growing interest in archaeology on the Island. Anyone interested in getting involved can reach out to us – we’re always happy to welcome new participants!
While individual volunteers are always welcome, companies or groups that want to support our work can also get in touch with the Société Jersiaise. We would be delighted to have a dig sponsored, and any donations are greatly appreciated in helping us achieve our goals and contribute to our mission: ‘Digging into the Past, Shaping the Present, Inspiring the Future.’
For more information, either visit our website, call 01534 758314 or email hello@societe.je.
Top photo credit: Rob Currie, Jersey Evening Post.
