Jersey States give £180,000 grant for Ice Age Island project

Archaeologists believe Jersey has the potential to tell more about the evolutionary past of humans in northern Europe

A project exploring Jersey's ice age past has been given a grant by the government.

La Cotte de St Brelade is the location of an archaeological project called Ice Age Island, described as one of Europe's most significant settlements.

The grant of £180,000 will enable the team from the Societe Jersiaise to carry on its work.

Neil Molyneux from the heritage society said the project would attract tourists to the island.

He said: "The coin hoard that was discovered a couple of years ago has brought many people to the island.

"Any discoveries from La Cotte will do the same, but any presentation of what is there will do that alone."

The site of La Cotte de St Brelade contains more Neanderthal artefacts than the rest of the British Isles and ranks as one of the world's richest Stone Age localities.

The team behind Ice Age Island will have to demonstrate how it contributes to the island's tourism in return for the Tourism Development Fund money.