Europa: National Archaeological Discoveries

Description

Guernsey Post’s philatelic bureau has unveiled a new stamp issue showcasing remarkable archaeological finds from sites across the Bailiwick of Guernsey. Reflecting the 2025 EUROPA theme, National Archaeological Discoveries, two stamps proudly feature the official EUROPA logo, a mark of European postal heritage.

The fascinating objects depicted span thousands of years of island history:

Sark Coin – In the first century BC, a hoard of coins and silver horse ornaments was hidden near the Mill on Sark. Among the treasure is a rare silver coin from Atevla Vlatos, a ruler of the ancient Remi tribe in what is now northern France.

Gran’mère du Chimquière, St Martin’s – Known as the ‘grandmother of the cemetery,’ this Neolithic standing stone guards St Martin’s Churchyard. Her carved face and cloak emerged during the Roman or early medieval era.

Ancient Intaglio, Bonded Store, St Peter Port (EUROPA) – A tiny red jasper gem, just 15mm, shows a whimsical ‘gryllos’—a jumble of human and animal heads—dating to the late second or early third century AD.

Rouen Jug Sherd, St Peter Port Harbour (EUROPA) – This fragment of medieval pottery, made in Rouen, France, was recovered by divers and hints at the maritime connections that shaped Guernsey’s history.

Venus Figurine, La Plaiderie, St Peter Port – Small Venus figurines like this Roman example, unearthed in the 1980s, were once part of household rituals.

Bellarmine Jug, Castle Cornet – Distinctive German stoneware jugs with a bearded face motif, used for transporting wine, have been found worldwide, including in Guernsey’s Castle Cornet.

Dr Philip de Jersey, States Archaeologist, highlights that Guernsey’s rich archaeological landscape holds even more secrets: “With sites like Alderney’s Longis Common, the Channel Islands could yield discoveries as remarkable as Pompeii.”

With special thanks to Dr Philip de Jersey FSA and Andy Lane MA PCIfA (Assistant Archaeologist) for their valuable assistance in the preparation of this stamp issue.

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