The research at hunebed D29 in Borger has yielded some great finds, says research leader Professor Dr. Daan Raemaekers. Under his supervision, archeology students from the University of Groningen made surprising discoveries.
You could say that the hunebed has lived up to expectations. “We chose this one because no research had been done before, but also because it looks a bit messy around the dolmen. That’s positive. We hoped that part of the hill that once lay over it had been preserved, and it has.”
The most beautiful discoveries were made in those remains of the burial mound. The researchers found the most spectacular just five centimeters under the grass. “We very carefully removed the earth and shards of pottery were already sticking out of the ground directly under the turf,” says Raemaekers.
Those shards were not there by accident. “When the burial mound was finished, the hunebed builders themselves dug a small hole about twenty centimeters in diameter. Then they broke a pot, selected large shards and placed them in the hole. Then they added a flint knife and filled the hole with the shards that were left over.”
It is a new, surprising phenomenon, says Raemaekers. “We don’t know this kind of excavation in hills at all, it’s surprising to see that. We did find shards before, but under the burial mound.” According to the professor, that is very different, because it mainly says something about the period in which the hunebed was built. “In this case, the dolmen was already in use and people have come back to put a pot in the ground for their important reason.”
Why they did that is not immediately clear. Still, the archaeologists are happy with the find. “Five centimeters under the grass, this has been waiting for us for 5,000 years.”
More new things can be deduced from the finds. “We also found all kinds of flint. It seems that people sat on that hill to sharpen their tools. That was also new.”
Small pieces of burnt bones have also been found. It has yet to be determined whether they originate from humans or animals. “But that is also very interesting to think about. That people went back to this place in prehistoric times to lay down these burnt remains. That could be from the time of the hunebed builders, but also, for example, a thousand years later,” says Raemaekers
The finds call for a party – but modestly. “As an excavation leader, I always say that it’s about the story and the knowledge. But it’s still very nice to get decorated pottery shards out of the ground. That’s a reason to get a cake at the supermarket.”
It will be some time before the whole story of the shards becomes clear. “The stuff is now at the university. We will start working on it after the holidays. Two students have also asked if they can stick the shards together, so they will certainly do that. A report will follow after the analysis.”
Ramaekers expects it to be ready next winter.