Jersey 2025 "Europa 2025 - National Archaeological Discoveries"
| <prev | back to index | next> |
| Issue Date | 05.05.2025 |
| ID | Michel: 2846-2851, Bl. 261 ; Scott: ; Stanley Gibbons: ; Yvert et Tellier: ; Category : pR |
| Design | Illustration: Hannah George |
| Stamps in set | 6 |
| Value | 80p - Trade Discoveries £1.20 - Celtic Coin Hoard £1.35 - La Sergenté Corbelled Tomb £1.90 - La Cotte £2.30 - La Pouquelaye de Faldouet £3.00 - Mammoth bones |
| Emission/Type | commemorative |
| Issue place | Jersey |
| Size (width x height) | stamps: 30.0mm x 40.0mm; Mini-Sheet of 6: 90.00mm x180mm; Souvenir-Sheet: 90mm x 110mm. |
| Layout | Mini-Sheet of 6, 6 Mini-Sheets of 10, Souvenir-Sheet of 2. |
| Products | FDC x3, MS x7, SS x1, PP x3 |
| Paper | white, without watermark |
| Perforation | 12x12 |
| Print Technique | four colour process lithography |
| Printed by | BPost Philately & Stamps Printing, Belgium |
| Quantity | |
| Issuing Authority | Jersey Post Ltd |
On May 5th, 2025, Jersey Post issued the set of six stamps titled "EUROPA - National Archaeological Discoveries".
Each stamp tells a compelling story of survival, migration, and discovery—bridging the distant past with our present understanding of human history.
These stamps were issued in several layouts: Mini-Sheets of 10 stamps for each stamp, a Mini-Sheet with all 6 stamps, and a Souvenir-Sheet of 2 stamps (the Celtic Coin Hoard and Mammoth Bones stamps).
The illustrations were created by Hannah George, a British freelance illustrator based on the south coast of England. Known for her fluid and versatile artistic style, Hannah works with a blend of watercolour, pencil, ink, and digital processing. Her artwork for this issue beautifully conveys both the scientific significance of the discoveries and the natural beauty of Jersey’s rugged landscape. Through her brushwork, viewers are transported to an ancient world where mammoths roamed and early humans thrived in a wild, untamed environment.
Hannah honed her artistic skills at Falmouth College of Arts, after completing a foundation course in Brighton. During her studies, she developed a unique style combining traditional media with digital tools. For this stamp series, she began each piece with watercolour, aiming to preserve the texture and warmth of hand-drawn art. She then scanned and refined the illustrations using Procreate, adding crisp detail while maintaining an organic, authentic feel.
In a comment to the Philatelic team at Jersey Post, Hannah shared her enthusiasm for the project, noting that working on the issue felt like “a history lesson” and that she found the subject matter fascinating and creatively fulfilling.Although modest in size, Jersey's geographical position in the English Channel and its close connection to mainland France during the Ice Age make it an exceptional site for archaeological and paleontological exploration.
Four stamps in the set: Trade Discoveries, Celtic Coin Hoard, La Sergenté Corbelled Tomb, and La Pouquelaye de Faldouet, highlight archaeological discoveries made on the island.
The other two stamps: La Cotte and Mammoth Bones; relate to paleontology, showcasing Jersey’s rich prehistoric past.
This small island holds a remarkable wealth of ancient secrets, preserved in its caves, cliffs, and sediments. These finds offer invaluable insights into early human life and extinct Ice Age animals.
Over millennia, Jersey served as a critical point of migration and habitation. During periods of lower sea levels, it formed part of a land bridge connecting Britain to continental Europe.
This made Jersey a natural corridor for both humans and animals, resulting in the rich array of fossils and artifacts uncovered on the island. Among the most significant discoveries are Neanderthal tools, woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) remains, and early evidence of human occupation dating back more than 250,000 years.
La Cotte
La Cotte de St Brelade is a significant Neanderthal archaeological site located in the parish of St Brelade, in the southwest of Jersey. Covering 12.78 km², the parish accounts for approximately 11% of the island’s total land area. The site lies within a dramatic granite headland overlooking the sea, offering a window into prehistoric life on what was once part of the continental landmass during the Ice Age. |
| Saint Brelade's Cave on stamp of Jersey 2025, MiNr.: 2849, Scott: . |
 |
| Map of Jersey on stamp from "Parish Arms and Views" set, 1976 MiNr.: 131, Scott: 137.. |
 |
| Father Christian Burdo, with a bone in his hands, which may be one of the mammoth ribs (Mammuthus primigenius) he discovered in the cave, on stamp of Jersey 2023, MiNr.: 2682; Scott: 2606. |
Saint Brelade's Cave depicted on the £1.90 stamp, has long been recognised as one of the most important Stone Age sites in the British Isles. Evidence suggests that Neanderthals, beginning around 250,000 years ago, intermittently occupied this area.
Following initial exploration in 1881, La Cotte de St Brelade was partially excavated in 1913 by the late Dr. R. R. Marett, but further work was halted by the outbreak of the First World War. Excavation resumed in the following decades but never fully reached the site’s deepest layers.
Between 1930 and 1960, Father Christian Burdo, S.J. under the auspices of the Société Jersiaise and in partnership with local institutions, conducted extensive excavations at the site. His work uncovered an Acheulean tool assemblage, a dozen Neanderthal teeth, and numerous bones of Ice Age animals. He emerged as a central figure through these discoveries of Jersey since the 1930s. Father Burdo brought a scholarly rigor to his work, publishing detailed reports in journals such as the "Bulletin de la Société Préhistorique Française".
His efforts expanded the known stratigraphy of La Cotte, revealing deep Middle Palaeolithic layers that had previously gone unexplored.
Among Father Burdo's most remarkable finds were large quantities of mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) and woolly rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis) bones. These remains were found in association with Mousterian stone tools and Neanderthal teeth, suggesting a long-term human presence in the cave, possibly spanning tens of thousands of years.
One of the most significant discoveries was a concentrated "bone heap" containing mammoth bones and tusks, interpreted as evidence of butchering or deliberate accumulation by Neanderthals. These findings placed Jersey firmly on the map as a key Ice Age site, providing insight into the behaviour and diet of prehistoric humans in northern Europe.
In 2023 Father Burdo was featured on stamp of Jersey with a bone in his hands, which may be one of the mammoth ribs (Mammuthus primigenius) he discovered in the cave.
Over the years, the site has yielded more than 200,000 stone tools, more than the rest of the British Isles combined, as well as the remains of early inhabitants of Jersey and detailed pollen evidence reflecting the island’s ancient environment.
Neanderthals are believed to have occupied La Cotte from around 238,000 years ago until somewhere between 100,000 and 40,000 years ago, marking it not only the earliest known human presence in the Channel Islands, but potentially also one of the last Neanderthal refuges in north-western Europe.
At that time, sea levels were significantly lower, and Jersey formed part of a peninsula extending from what is now Normandy. Only after the end of the last Ice Age, as sea levels rose, did Jersey become separated from the European mainland.
Mammoth Discoveries on Jersey
In 1966-1968, a team of archaeologists from the University of Cambridge, including a young King Charles III (then Prince Charles) who participated as a student under Professor McBurney, made a remarkable discovery at La Cotte de St Brelade in Jersey. They uncovered two concentrated piles of woolly mammoth bones (Mammuthus primigenius), an extraordinary and unprecedented find in Europe at the time. This discovery offered rare insight into Ice Age megafauna and the hunting practices of Neanderthals who once inhabited the area.King Charles III visited the island for various events, including the Liberation anniversary, Jersey’s 800-year link to the Crown, and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012. In July 2022, King Charles III was named Royal Patron of the La Cotte de St Brelade Archaeological Restoration Project, reinforcing his ongoing connection to the site from his student days.
What made the discovery especially significant was the condition of the remains. Upon analysis, experts noted severe trauma to the bones — injuries consistent with the animals having been driven over the cliff edge. This has led to the interpretation that Neanderthals may have deliberately stampeded mammoths off the cliff as a hunting strategy, revealing an unexpected level of social cooperation and intelligence. The discovery offered ground-breaking insight into Middle Palaeolithic hunting techniques, and it remains one of the most iconic examples of early human interaction with Ice Age megafauna in the British Isles.
In addition to the mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) bones, other extinct species remains found at La Cotte include woolly rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis), cave bears (Ursus spelaeus) and giant deer (Megalceros giganteus). Further finds, including hunters' tools and weapons, indicate that no part of the animals was wasted. Needles, awls and spear tips were crafted from bones, while the skins were used to create clothing.
For decades, the dramatic idea that Neanderthals drove mammoths off cliffs at La Cotte de St Brelade captured the imagination of archaeologists and the public alike.
However, more recent excavations and landscape analysis have significantly changed this interpretation. Recent studies have revealed that the plateau above La Cotte was too uneven and rocky to have supported large herds moving at speed. The bone heaps now appear to have formed not from a catastrophic event, but through the repeated processing and butchering of mammoths over a long period.
Evidence such as stone tools, hearths, and even burnt bones supports the idea that Neanderthals used the site as a sheltered location to process animals they hunted elsewhere. Rather than dramatic cliff drives, these early humans likely employed ambush tactics and returned to La Cotte to butcher, cook, and possibly store meat and other resources.
Today, La Cotte de St Brelade is recognized not as a mass kill site, but as one of the most important Middle Paleolithic occupation sites in Europe, offering a rare glimpse into the complex behaviors and survival strategies of Neanderthals living more than 200,000 years ago.
In the 1970s, a well-preserved woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) skull, complete with upper teeth and parts of the tusk sockets, was discovered during excavations at La Cotte de St Brelade cave on Jersey. Despite its significance, the skull remained in storage for several decades. In 2015, leading paleontological conservator Nigel Larkin undertook the delicate task of unpacking, cleaning, and restoring the specimen.
The conservation work revealed the skull's remarkable level of preservation, making it one of the most complete mammoth skulls ever found on Jersey, and a highlight of the island’s Ice Age fossil record. Today, this specimen is part of the Jersey Museum & Art Gallery collection, where it plays a key role in illustrating the island's rich Pleistocene history and the interactions between Neanderthals and Ice Age megafauna.
The mammoth skull featured on the £3.00 stamp was not discovered on Jersey, but rather beneath the waters of the North Sea, in a submerged region once known as Doggerland.
 |
 |
| Mammoth skull on stamp of Jersey 2025 MiNr.: 2851, Scott: | The skull of the woolly mammoth named "Millie". Image credit: Wikipedia |
The specimen was fully recovered on Easter Sunday 2000, and the specimen was subsequently named Millie. Dating to roughly 30,000 to 40,000 years ago, Millie offers a glimpse into the Ice Age megafauna that once roamed the now-submerged plains of northern Europe. The fossil was found in 27 fragments and was later carefully restored—approximately 90% of the original material was preserved.
Today, the restored skull is housed in the Celtic and Prehistoric Museum on the Slea Head Route in Kilvicadownig, Ventry, Ireland, where it stands as one of the most impressive Ice Age fossils on display in the region.
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) on stamps of Jersey (2010), Great Britain (2006), the Netherlands (2023) and France (2008), MiNr.: 1523, 2394, N/A, 4178; Scott: 1478, 2362, N/A, 3433 respectively. | |||
The collage was created by the fellow collector Mr. Peter Brandhuber from Germany (who run "Evolution of mankind and Philately" group on facebook)
The other four stamps of the set show the following objects
|
80p - Trade Discoveries Jersey’s location within the channel made it a key point for trade among various ancient cultures. The illustration includes various trade items including; the gold torques from the Catillon II Coin Hoard (Iron Age), Roman statuette (Gallo-Roman), Grand-Pressigny flint tools (Neolithic), Viking era metalwork (Viking- early medieval), coloured pattern glass beads (Iron Age/Gallo-Roman) and a polished stone bracelet (Neolithic). |
£1.20 - Celtic Coin Hoard Considered to be the largest coin hoard discovery within the British Isles and consists of Europe’s largest assortment of torque rings, along with gold and silver jewelry. The coins include various Celtic symbols. The hoard consists of coins from various tribes, including those from southern Britain around 40BC. The discovery was made in 2012 by two local detectorists. |
|
£1.35 - La Sergenté Corbelled Tomb Considered one of the oldest historic monuments in Jersey, La Sergenté Corbelled Tomb was built around 6,500 years ago predating other more well-known ancient sites such as Stonehenge and the pyramids of Giza. Discovered in 1923, the site consists of a circular chamber and short passageway. It is the only corbelled passage grave known in the Channel Islands. |
£2.30 - La Pouquelaye de Faldouet Estimated to have been built roughly 6,000 years ago, La Pouquelaye de Faldouet is a neolithic passage grave that features a double chamber the second of which is covered by a massive 24-ton capstone. Interestingly, the majority of the stones used for the dolmen are granite and diorite. |
Products and associated philatelic items
| Set of Mini-Sheets | Souvenir-Sheet | Mini-Sheet |
 |
 |
 |
| FDCs | ||
 |
 |
 |
| Example of circulated FDC | ||
 |
|
|
| Presentation Packs | ||
 |
 |
 |
References
|
-
Technical details and official press release:
Jersey Post - website, Presentation Pack with the set of stamps, Presentation Pack with the Souvenir-Sheet, the reverse side of FDC. - Hannah George, the Artist:
Jersey Post, official website, - La Cotte de St Brelade:
Wikpedia, Jersey island geopark, donsmaps.com. - Saint Brelade parish:
Wikipedia. - Mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) discoveries on Jersey:
BBC - "Jersey mammoth skull to be revealed", "Study into Jersey Neanderthal mammoth hunters".
Photo Archive of Jersey Heritage, Natural-History-Conservation.com. - Neanderthal discoveries on Jersey:
Science Daily,
Shaw A, Bates M, Conneller C, et al. The archaeology of persistent places: the Palaeolithic case of La Cotte de St Brelade, Jersey. Antiquity. 2016;90(354):1437-1453. doi:10.15184/aqy.2016.212
Becyy Scott, Martin Bates et al. "A new view from La Cotte de St Brelade, Jersey" (PDF file).
Acknowledgements:
- Many thanks to
Dr. Peter Voice from Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Western Michigan University,
for reviewing the draft page.
- Many thanks to fellow collector Mr. Peter Brandhuber from Germany (who run "Evolution of mankind and Philately" group on facebook) for his help finding the information about mammoth skull depicted on one of the stamps.
| <prev | back to index | next> |