Le Pinacle

Last updated
Le Pinacle
Le Pinacle Jersey.jpg
Location Saint Ouen, Jersey
Region Channel Islands
Coordinates 49°14′51″N2°15′11″W / 49.2476°N 2.2530°W / 49.2476; -2.2530 Coordinates: 49°14′51″N2°15′11″W / 49.2476°N 2.2530°W / 49.2476; -2.2530
History
Periods Neolithic–Roman
Site notes
Public access Yes

Le Pinacle is a protruding pinnacle of rock, at the coastal edge of a Les Landes in the north-west of Jersey, [1] with remains and ruins at its base dating from five periods including the Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age. There is also evidence of a rectangular Gallo-Roman temple. [2]

Les Landes area of coastal heathland in Jersey

Les Landes is an area of coastal heathland in the north-west of Jersey. It has been designated as a Site of Special Interest (SSI) since 1996.

Jersey British Crown Dependency in the Channel Islands

Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey, is a Crown dependency located near the coast of Normandy, France. It is the second closest of the Channel Islands to France, after Alderney.

The Neolithic, the final division of the Stone Age, began about 12,000 years ago when the first development of farming appeared in the Epipalaeolithic Near East, and later in other parts of the world. The division lasted until the transitional period of the Chalcolithic from about 6,500 years ago, marked by the development of metallurgy, leading up to the Bronze Age and Iron Age. In Northern Europe, the Neolithic lasted until about 1700 BC, while in China it extended until 1200 BC. Other parts of the world remained broadly in the Neolithic stage of development, although this term may not be used, until European contact.

Contents

Dolerite

The dolerite stratum has been mined, and used to make axe heads during the Neolithic period and Bronze Age. [3]

Diabase An intrusive mafic rock forming dykes or sills

Diabase or dolerite or microgabbro is a mafic, holocrystalline, subvolcanic rock equivalent to volcanic basalt or plutonic gabbro. Diabase dikes and sills are typically shallow intrusive bodies and often exhibit fine grained to aphanitic chilled margins which may contain tachylite. Diabase is the preferred name in North America, yet dolerite is the preferred name in most of the rest of the world, where sometimes the name diabase is applied to altered dolerites and basalts. Many petrologists prefer the name microgabbro to avoid this confusion.

Stratum layer of sedimentary rock or soil with internally consistent characteristics

In geology and related fields, a stratum is a layer of sedimentary rock or soil, or igneous rock that were formed at the Earth's surface, with internally consistent characteristics that distinguish it from other layers. The "stratum" is the fundamental unit in a stratigraphic column and forms the basis of the study of stratigraphy.

Megalith

Le Pinacle is visible in the distance (far left) L'Eta La Rocque-Ho Jerri 2010.jpg
Le Pinacle is visible in the distance (far left)

The megalithic rock is a natural formation, and a prominent landmark which can be seen from St Ouen's bay.

The remains of the Roman temple can be seen in this photo Le Pinnacl'ye Jerri b.jpg
The remains of the Roman temple can be seen in this photo

See also

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Megalith Large stone used to build a structure or monument

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Saint Ouen, Jersey Jersey parish

Saint Ouen is one of the twelve parishes of Jersey in the Channel Islands. It is in the north west of Jersey. The parish is the largest parish by surface area, covering 8,341 vergées (15 km²).

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St. Ouen F.C. is an amateur association football club in Saint Ouen, Jersey, Channel Islands who play in the Jersey Premiership. The club plays in yellow and blue. They play at St. Ouen.

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The geology of Jersey is characterised by the Late Proterozoic Brioverian volcanics, the Cadomian Orogeny, and only small signs of later deposits from the Cambrian and Quaternary periods. The kind of rocks go from conglomerate to shale, volcanic, intrusive and plutonic igneous rocks of many compositions, and metamorphic rocks as well, thus including most major types.

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Human prehistory is the period between the use of the first stone tools c. 3.3 million years ago by hominins and the invention of writing systems. The earliest writing systems appeared c. 5,300 years ago, but it took thousands of years for writing to be widely adopted, and it was not used in some human cultures until the 19th century or even until the present. The end of prehistory therefore came at very different dates in different places, and the term is less often used in discussing societies where prehistory ended relatively recently.

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Archaeology of the Channel Islands

Archaeology is promoted in Jersey by the Société Jersiaise and by Jersey Heritage. Promotion in the Bailiwick of Guernsey being undertaken by La Société Guernesiaise, Guernsey Museums, the Alderney Society with World War II work also undertaken by Festung Guernsey.

References