Activities of the Field Archaeology Department in 2025
As 2025 begins, it’s already time to reflect. How can we make this year even more remarkable than 2023, which celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Société Jersiaise, or 2024, which marked the 100th anniversary of the excavation at La Hougue Bie? The Field Archaeology Department aims to place 2025 under the themes of continuity and transmission of knowledge, honouring the achievements made until now.
Talks and Events
The Department’s research will be showcased in two major presentations: one in Kiel, Germany, in March, as part of a conference session on Neolithic Stone-Walled Enclosures in Western and Northern Europe (4th–3rd Millennium BCE); the other in Bordeaux, France, in April, during a day dedicated to Spaces and Territories in Atlantic Europe during Protohistory. Archaeological research will also feature at the International Conference: Islands and Island Studies 2025, held in Jersey from June 3 to 7. This event is organised by the Jersey International Centre of Advanced Studies (JICAS) in collaboration with Shima and the Small Island Cultures Research Initiative (SICRI). A session dedicated on the archaeology of the Channel Islands will highlight the latest research projects.
Later this year, some of the most famous Jersey sites will also be shown in a French TV episode of Des Racines et des Ailes, focusing on coastal fortifications under the theme of refuges and maritime defences. Additionally, as every year, the Council for British Archaeology’s Festival of Archaeology in July will feature a rich program promoting Jersey’s archaeological heritage. Finally, we wish to organise a commemorative day in October to honour those who have contributed so much to the Bailiwick’s archaeological research, particularly those no longer with us. It will be an opportunity to gather, remember, and celebrate together.
Excavations in 2025
Archaeological digs will continue on the island. The enigmatic monument of Hougue de Vinde in St. Brelade will have a third campaign of excavation as part of the JICAS Archaeological Summer School. Previous finds, including a stunning Early Bronze Age Armorican arrowhead, raise questions about the site’s chronology. Architectural analysis may offer clues to dating the monument this year. These excavations, as usual, will take place in July, with details available on both JICAS and Société Jersiaise websites.
In August, further excavations of Iron Age habitats are planned, possibly at Mont Cochon. Confirmation will depend on farming schedules early in the year. If the excavation continues there, the focus will be on uncovering a complete building, part of which was revealed in 2024, while other trenches will explore unknown parts of the site. Before this, the Field Archaeologist will co-direct an excavation in June, as part of an international collaboration, at a recently studied site: the largest Celtic fortified settlement in Brittany, the main oppidum of the Riedones, the tribe who founded Rennes (Condate) during the Gallo-Roman period.
Finally, non-invasive surveys at Le Câtillon in Grouville, initiated in 2023, are expected to conclude in 2025. These will provide a preliminary assessment of human activity in this part of the island, covering approximately 20 hectares.
Other Projects
Two other major initiatives will also keep the Department busy in 2025. Firstly, in collaboration with the Société Jersiaise’s Sections, a Conservation Plan for Archaeological Sites will be developed to ensure the proper preservation of the archaeological sites owned by the Société Jersiaise. This is crucial for preserving these sites for future generations. Secondly, the refurbishment of the Hougue Bie Lodge will continue. This building, with its considerable potential, is being reimagined to enable the Société Jersiaise to carry out research, outreach, and educational initiatives in the coming years. Traditionally used by the Archaeology and Geology Sections, the Lodge could soon become a hub of research, reflecting the Société’s commitment to the transmission of knowledge.
Join Us
Would you like to participate in archaeological activities or contribute to the development of research for the years ahead? Don’t hesitate to contact us for more information.
Let 2025 be a year of continuity and the transmission of knowledge.
Hervé Duval-Gatignol
