Select a region
As French archaeologists arrived in Jersey earlier this week to carry out the the island's “biggest ever geophysical study”, Express took a look into what they are hoping to discover about the area where the world’s largest Celtic coin hoard was found...
The three-day, non-invasive study across almost 30 acres of Grouville fields is being carried out by French archaeologists and overseen by the Field Archaeology Department of the Société Jersiaise.
Pictured: Richard Miles and Reg Mead found the clump of Celtic treasure – which includes gold torques, silver coins, gold and silver jewellery – in Grouville in 2012.
It is hoping to explain why the world’s largest Celtic coin hoard were stored in that particular position, to uncover information about daily life in the past, to explore settlements that may be hidden beneath the ground, while also seeking to protect against illegal artefact hunting – known as "nighthawking" – at the Le Catillon site.
The fields in Grouville contain artefacts from the Neolithic, Iron Age, Bronze Age, and Roman eras. Among these discoveries are the Celtic hoards discovered in 1957 and 2012.
The 1957 discovery included around 2,500 Gaulish coins and jewellery, potentially stored in ceramic vessels.
Pictured: Richard Miles and Reg Mead, who discovered the Le Catillon II hoard in 2012.
In 2012, detectorists Reg Mead and Richard Miles found the largest Celtic coin collection, with coins from various tribes, including those from southern Britain around 40 BC.
It also includes Europe's biggest assortment of torque neck rings, along with gold and silver jewellery and ingots, as well as ancient flora and fauna such as millipedes and centipedes from 2,000 years ago.
Société Jersiaise's Field Archaeologist, Hervé Duval-Gatignol explained that the survey is non-invasive and uses specialised technology to identify differences in the magnetic field beneath the ground, which are related to features such as ditches, pits, or holes.
Pictured: Hervé Duval-Gatignol, Société Jersiaise Field Archaeologist.
He described how, in Jersey, magnetic interference from granite and complicated bed rock makes this work particularly difficult.
Following the survey, the data will be mapped and differences in colour will indicate magnetic anomalies. This could indicate hidden archaeological elements, such as settlements or other evidence of past communities.
Data collected during the survey will be processed in France over four weeks.
A report summarising the programme’s findings will be prepared and submitted to the relevant official at the Field Archaeology Department.
The survey's major goal is to learn more about the historical background of the coin hoard – such as where the coins came from, and why they were buried in these specific fields.
It is hoped that this examination will reveal whether these coins were made locally or brought from France.
Reg Mead, who discovered the Le Catillon II hoard in 2012, said this will raise the question of why the Normans chose to deposit their precious materials in Jersey 2,000 years ago.
The Field Archaeology Department are also looking for additional evidence of past communities, villages, fortresses, storage sites, or religious sites.
Pictured: Coin hoard finders Richard Miles and Reg Mead, who discovered the hoard in a field in Grouville in 2012.
This will help to shed insight on people's daily lives during the period – such as burial practises, trade relations, and religion practises – allowing islanders to better understand their local history.
The shape of possible settlements could be historically significant, with Mr Mead explaining that "rectangular settlements may signify Jersey's French heritage, while circular structures might reflect its British influence".
The archeologists also hope to discover artefacts and clues relating to daily life, from the Neolithic, Iron Age or Roman times.
The Government's decision to purchase the 2012 hoard for £4.5 million in 2021, against official advice, sparked debates about the valuation of such finds and their public ownership, as well as concerns about illegal "nighthawking” – the use of metal detectors to uncover and steal antiquities.
The Société and authorities have been aware of illegal artefact hunts since 2021. This is another reason for the survey, which will allow archaeologists to recover significant objects and protect the site against looting.
Pictured: The Le Câtillon II Coin Hoard went on display in a purpose-built exhibition hall at La Hougue Bie in March.
Other efforts to address these issues include the development of updated treasure laws for the island, which focus on historical rather than monetary value.
Additionally, £250,000 of the purchase price of the coin hoard was allocated to establish an educational trust for scientific and educational research into the hoard.
The Le Câtillon II hoard is on display in a specially built gallery at La Hougue Bie.
Pictured top: Richard Miles and Reg Mead, who discovered the 2012 hoard, are also part of the team carrying out the survey.
Comments
Comments on this story express the views of the commentator only, not Bailiwick Publishing. We are unable to guarantee the accuracy of any of those comments.