Archaeology@Agincourt
The Agincourt Battlefield Archaeology Project
Results of the 2002 metal detector surveys
In 2002 the project undertook several limited metal detector surveys across the area of the known battlefield. These were only possible on land that did not contain a crop that could be damaged. The grey areas show the parts of the fields that were surveyed. The figures in red are the field numbers given to the survey team by the local council. The figures in black relate to the artefact number of each find, which is located by a small red dot. Some non-metal artefacts were found during thiese surveys. The Calvary enclosure is marked in red for ease of location. The eastern extent of the village of Azincourt is marked in the left of the map and the boundary of the village of Tramecourt is shown by the dashed line on the right. The village of Maissoncelle lies just off the base of the map. The initial survey (1-20; top of map) only recorded artefacts that were of interest. The secondary survey (100-164) recorded any artefact that was recognisable other can common nalis and modern detritus.
Artefacts
The recovered artefacts ranged from prehistoric flint cores (139) and silver Roman coins (132) to lead shot from seventeenth or eighteenth century firearms (107; 109; 116). First and Second World War bullet heads and cartridge cases were also recvered (see list).
One artefact (1000) is shown on the map but not in this illustration due to its potential importance. At the time of discovery this artefact was considered to be an arrowhead.
Arrowhead?
Subsequent 'X-ray' analysis discovered that the artefact did not have a typical socket for the arrow shaft and so it was determined that the artefact probably was not an arrowhead. Later comparison with another 'arrowhead' discovered by Woodford in 1818 (see relevant section) found that the two were almost identical in appearance. This suggests that either the artefact might be an arrowhead or that Woodford was mistaken in his interpretation
Results of the 2007 metal detector surveys
In 2007 the project undertook a metal detector survey in and around the calvary enclosure. Most of the recovered artefacts a relatively modern in date.
SF1 Five France coin dated 194?
SF2 Seven Centime coins dated from 1974-1995
SF3 A chopped off fragment of molten lead
SF4 Part of a letter 'A' pressed from aluminium
SF5 Part of an unfired bullet case dated 1917
SF6 Bullet case
SF7 Three 'Practice rounds' in a clip
SF8 Live damaged bullet containing cordite
SF9 Flattened copper alloy threaded tube
SF10 Badge showing flags of WWII allied countries
SF11 Fragment of molten lead
SF12 Two Franc coin dated 1943
SF13 Ten centimes coin dated 1985
SF14 Twenty centimes coin dated 1984
2007 Brief Metal Detector Assessment on Azincourt-Ruisseauville border
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