Neolithic archaeology project to launch in Jersey

The project will be launched by Société Jersiaise on Sunday

Researchers are hoping for "exciting discoveries" in Jersey as a new archaeology project focusing on the Neolithic period is due to be launched.

The project, called Neolithic Landscapes, will review archaeology, undertake new surveys and find out more about the era.

The Neolithic period was around 4300BC to 2000BC.

Marc Yates, chair of the project, said he hoped it would "keep us occupied for many years".

The research will approach neighbours of Neolithic sites in Jersey to find out if there are items which date back to the era.

'Modern techniques'

Mr Yates said: "Neolithic Landscapes will be a very large archaeology project for Jersey and it will keep us occupied for many years, and hopefully we will have some exciting discoveries along the way.

"Perhaps we will locate a site or sites where we can confidently say, this is where Neolithic people lived, ate and slept in their houses or huts."

Hervé Duval-Gatignol, the Société's field archaeologist, said modern archaeological techniques have developed "considerably" and more items may be produced.

"Modern geophysical equipment has hardly ever been used in the island and we plan to use it extensively in the project," he said.

The project will be launched by Société Jersiaise on Sunday at La Hougue Bie at 14:00 GMT.

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