What is the coolest thing you have found? Adelynn (12)

Dear Adelynn,

I have to say, one of my favourite sites ever was located in the south of France: it was a necropolis dated to the Merovingian period (the equivalent of the Saxon period in the UK or 7^th Century CE) called Tabariane (https://www.ariegepyrenees.com/en/patrimoine-culturel/la-necropole-de-tabariane/).

There, we uncovered many tombs, many belonging to warriors who were buried with their weapons (swords, knives, shields etc) but also tombs that contained some of the most beautiful jewellery I have ever seen and especially belt buckles made of tin-plated bronze (here is an example: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Frankish_-_Belt_Buckle_-_Walters_542350.jpg).

There are many other sites that came to my mind when I read your question but somehow, this one will always be one of my favourites!

Odile, January 2026

Answered by:

Odile Rouard

Hello, my name is Odile Rouard. I’ve always been interested in archaeology and the understanding of ancient cultures, since I started reading Greek mythology as a child.

I have been working as a professional archaeologist for many years and am looking forward to answering any questions you have about archaeology.

I graduated from York University and have worked on excavations in France, in Ireland and in England of course; I even helped train students in field archaeology on a Silk Road citadel in Kazakhstan!
I have just moved to Orkney to start a new adventure and am now taking part in Viking tours and helping children discover archaeology.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Odile

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