Archaeological Excavation Fieldwork at the Neolithic Site of Gorges, Manche
From 17 August to 4 September 2026, Saad Alamri, a Master 1 student in Archaeology and Preventive Conservation – Jaussen & Savignac Programme (Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and Royal Commission for AlUla), took part in an archaeological excavation campaign at the Neolithic site of Gorges, in Manche, within a megalithic necropolis.
The scientific operation is directed by Cyrille Billard and Guillaume Hulin, in collaboration with François Giligny, Florian Cousseau, Jean-Pierre Coutard and Christophe Chappet.
Several test trenches carried out in 2007 confirmed the presence of a megalithic complex comprising around ten circular monuments with burial chambers, located in the westernmost part of the Carentan marshes, within the Sèves peat bog. This initial research was supplemented in 2022 and 2025 by geophysical survey operations conducted by Guillaume Hulin (Inrap).
The site therefore benefits from an already remarkable level of knowledge. The 2026 campaign aimed to conduct a more comprehensive assessment of the complex and to supplement the extensive data already acquired, adopting a broader approach that would also help define a more detailed intervention programme for the following years.
The project focuses in particular on characterising the archaeological environment of the site, assessing its archaeological and stratigraphic potential, as well as its palaeoenvironmental potential. It also aims to improve understanding of the areas surrounding the monuments, to characterise their architecture and materials, and to refine their chronology.
During the campaign, Saad Alamri took part in a range of field activities, including stripping, fine excavation, manual surveying, photogrammetric surveying, as well as the cleaning and inventorying of archaeological remains.
This fieldwork experience is part of the practical training offered by the Jaussen & Savignac Programme, enabling students to develop their technical skills and participate in archaeological operations in a variety of research contexts in France.