Archaeologists trace early Britons in Brittany

Recent excavation work by University archaeologists has unearthed evidence of the early history of Brittany—including its strong cross-channel links with Britain. The discoveries have been made by teams under the joint direction of Professor Barry Cunliffe , Professor of European Archaeology at Oxford's Institute of Archaeology, and Professor Patrick Galliou of the Centre de Recherche Bretonne et Celtique, University of Brest, working at Le Yaudet on the north coast of Brittany. Earlier excavations had shown Le Yaudet to have been occupied almost continuously over the last 8,000 years, from the Mesolithic Age up to the present day. But the current fieldwork has revealed a system of regular fields, laid out within the old derelict Roman fort on the site, complete with elaborate ovens to dry rye, oats, and barley. The ovens have been dated to the fifth and sixth centuries by radio carbon dating at the Research Laboratory for Archaeology and Art History in Oxford. Professor Cunliffe said: `It seems likely this phase of the settlement was started by Britons who fled the West Country in the fifth and sixth centuries ad to set up home in what was then called Armorica but, because of them, is now called Brittany. `This is an exciting discovery because until now, archaeological evidence of something we knew historically, was very elusive.' The Oxford team has also unearthed evidence of a massive rampart, built across the granite promontory which Le Yaudet occupies, to protect the settlement. The face of the Iron Age wall still stands about four metres in height, and the passageway through the rampart is very well preserved, making Le Yaudet unique in north-west Europe. Professor Cunliffe says: `This rampart was here when Julius Caesar conquered Brittany. We know he had to fight local groups, and although there is no evidence he actually attacked Le Yaudet, what we see here is the sort of defence that he would have faced in this region.' The archaeologists believe they have only just begun to reveal the extent of Le Yaudet's full potential, and further work is planned.