TIME Team will uncover the early years of Manx Christianity when the popular archaeology programme films in September.
After months of speculation, it has been confirmed the Channel 4 series will feature the Island.
A team of more than 40, including a few well-known faces, will spend three days trying to get to grips with an important area of Manx history.
Series editor Michael Douglas confirmed presenter Tony Robinson, who also played sidekick Baldrick in the BBC comedy Blackadder, will travel here.
The excavation will be overseen by respected archaeologist and Time Team regular Professor Mick Aston and Phil Harding, whose West Country accent, hats and eccentric hair have made him a favourite with fans, will also join the dig.
Mr Douglas said the filming will take place in September, but declined to reveal where because it is on private land.
However, he added: 'We're going to be investigating a keill – an early Manx chapel – that could date as far back as the 7th century, but may also contain evidence of the Viking presence in the Island.
'Almost every keill in the Island, well over 100, was investigated, dug or fiddled about with by antiquarians in the early part of the 20th century, and the general consensus now is that they missed and/or destroyed lots of important information about the early years of Manx Christianity.
'The keill we're looking at is one of the very few that was untouched by the antiquarians, so it's a unique opportunity to use all the modern techniques at our disposal to investigate the chapel and put it into the wider context of Manx life before, during and after the Vikings came to the Island.'
He added: 'It'll be a standard Time Team dig in the sense there'll be between 40 and 50 of us pitching up for the three days of filming – that number includes archaeologists, geophysics, landscape surveyors, three camera crews, production team and so on.
'Tony will, of course, be presenting with Professor Mick Aston in charge of the archaeology. Phil Harding will be leading the team in the trenches.'
A team of more than 40, including a few well-known faces, will spend three days trying to get to grips with an important area of Manx history.
Series editor Michael Douglas confirmed presenter Tony Robinson, who also played sidekick Baldrick in the BBC comedy Blackadder, will travel here.
The excavation will be overseen by respected archaeologist and Time Team regular Professor Mick Aston and Phil Harding, whose West Country accent, hats and eccentric hair have made him a favourite with fans, will also join the dig.
Mr Douglas said the filming will take place in September, but declined to reveal where because it is on private land.
However, he added: 'We're going to be investigating a keill – an early Manx chapel – that could date as far back as the 7th century, but may also contain evidence of the Viking presence in the Island.
'Almost every keill in the Island, well over 100, was investigated, dug or fiddled about with by antiquarians in the early part of the 20th century, and the general consensus now is that they missed and/or destroyed lots of important information about the early years of Manx Christianity.
'The keill we're looking at is one of the very few that was untouched by the antiquarians, so it's a unique opportunity to use all the modern techniques at our disposal to investigate the chapel and put it into the wider context of Manx life before, during and after the Vikings came to the Island.'
He added: 'It'll be a standard Time Team dig in the sense there'll be between 40 and 50 of us pitching up for the three days of filming – that number includes archaeologists, geophysics, landscape surveyors, three camera crews, production team and so on.
'Tony will, of course, be presenting with Professor Mick Aston in charge of the archaeology. Phil Harding will be leading the team in the trenches.'
20 July 2006
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