First research near Celtic coin hoard site in a decade

The geophysicists have used monitoring equipment attached to a quad bike to scan 12 hectares of field

A survey on fields in Jersey is the first research near the site of the world's largest Celtic coin hoard for more than a decade.

The research has been carried out by French geophysicists with the aim of providing historical context to archaeological finds from the area.

The original Le Catillon II coin hoard was found in 2012 by local detectorists Reg Mead and Richard Miles.

Mr Miles said the research was "really exciting".

He added: "This is our first opportunity to get back into this area.

"The geophysics is over quite a wide area and a number of fields so we don't know what's there."

Reg (left) and Richard said the years since finding the hoard have been "fantastic"

Mr Mead said: "What the survey does is look through the ground and pick out certain features.

"It's like peeling an onion.

"We're going to look down the top, peel the top off and gradually go down through the soil to find out what was going on 2,000 years ago."

'Celtic settlement'

On what the survey might reveal, Mr Miles said: "What we're really looking for is signs of community".

He added: "It seems to be a really important site in terms of the things that we have obviously discovered up here but, to put that in context, if there is a community up here that would be fantastic for Jersey to know - that thousands of years ago these people were here."

Field Archaeologist for Societe Jersiaise Herve Duval-Gatignol organised the geophysical survey.

He said he was expecting evidence of a "Celtic settlement or at least a habitat" but wouldn't be able to confirm the findings until 2024.

The Societe Jersiaise is also waiting for planning permission to conduct archaeological surveys on the specific field where the Le Catillion II hoard was found.

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