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Jersey’s big Ice Age Project could help the Island carve out a new status as one of the most significant cultural heritage destinations in Europe.
Archaeologists have been digging around in the Island for the last couple of years and have uncovered a “scientific treasure trove” of hunting sites and submerged ice Age landscapes ranging from the earliest occupation by Neanderthals over 250,000 years ago, to the arrival of the first modern human.
The Island is now emerging as a key location for understanding human evolution, expansion and survival over a quarter of a million years of climate change.
Archaeologists have been uncovering how our Neanderthal cousins survived in northwest Europe and new cutting-edge research has revealed for the first time what the Ice Age landscape at La Cotte would have been like and how Neanderthal society worked.
(Pictured: La Cotte de St Brelade)
It's been brought to life in a new exhibition at Jersey Museum that features a life-size Neanderthal model. Jersey: Ice Age Island is based on a concept created by the Natural History Museum and includes dedicated Ice Age walking trails around the Island, an Ice Age walking guide and virtual tours.
Jersey Heritage Director Jon Carter said: “Jersey has an exceptional record of early stone age archaeology for such a small island, and this exhibition showcases the sites at La Cotte and Les Varines and the science behind research currently being undertaken by the Ice Age Island team.
“The work is bringing to light new stories from Jersey’s deep Ice Age heritage and continuing to show the Island is a scientific treasure trove”.
The archaeologists' big digs have been funded by a £199,000 grant from the Tourism Development Fund and they are hoping to secure further funding next year to come back and unearth more and give the Island further International exposure.
The exhibition, sponsored by Capco Trust, runs at Jersey Museum until the end of next year and the project will be featured on national television on programmes including Coast and Ice Age Britain in 2015 and Digging for Britain which will be aired on the BBC in the New Year.
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