In 2013, a geophysical survey was carried out at the late Bronze Age/early Iron Age site at Les Huguettes (situated within Alderney’s modern golf course), by the Staffordshire University team.
Discovered accidentally, and subsequently excavated by the Alderney Society in the late 1960s, this site consists of a dry stone wall measuring 9m in diameter that enclosed a circular hearth and fire pit (radio-carbon dated to 490BC). During the excavations, a considerable volume of pottery (including near complete pots), animal bones, and small finds such as bone tweezers and loom-weights, were recovered.
The evidence suggests that this represents a domestic late Bronze Age or early Iron Age site associated with pottery production. What is unclear, however, is what other archaeological remains, if any, are present within the nearby vicinity. The work in 2013 consisted of a GPR survey of a large area and the results demonstrated anomalies close by that could represent the remains of further structures and archaeological features. Further work at this site will follow in future years.
-
- Drystone wall of Les Huguettes Early Iron Age site
-
- Students completing GPR survey at Les Huguettes
Acknowledgements
This research would not have been possible without the support of the Alderney Society and Museum, the States of Alderney, Jason Monaghue, the Kay-Mouat family, and the University of Birmingham.