Special archaeological find in Groningen: 31 skeletons

It pays RTV North. Archaeologist Tim Kauling enthusiastically tells RTV Noord about the biggest find of his career.

“The skeletons are still very intact, the clay has completely enclosed them, so to speak, so that no oxygen can reach them. You have to imagine, these are women, men and women here. ‘Fifteenth Century Deceased Children.’

Accidental discovery

The cemetery was discovered by chance when a building on the Kloosterwerg on the Rottumer werde had to be reinforced. A wierde is an artificial hill, raised to have a dry place at high tide.

“When working on a mound, archaeologists are always looking for evidence of finds from the past,” said a spokesman for the national coordinator for Groningen. In this case, they decided to dig deeper and came across the skeletons.

weeks of research

Researchers are currently excavating the entire site, armed with small rakes and knives. Given the size of the site, archaeologists believe it will take weeks to thoroughly excavate the entire burial field.

Since the discovery of the mass grave, the site has been enclosed with fences and locks and camera surveillance is in place to prevent onlookers and looters from entering.

In addition to flawless skeletons, they also find bits of metal and even pieces of textiles. “We can see that some people are buried in a simple robe and some in a coffin, and then we find all kinds of nails around the skeleton,” Kauling says.

Cultural History Research

Isn’t it disrespectful to dig in a cemetery? “I have mixed feelings about it,” says archaeologist Kauling. “On the one hand yes, but what’s the point if the bulldozer rumbles through and over the graveyard with its shovel? We are not aware of it either. This way we can also conduct good research on the cultural history of this place.

When the whole site has been examined and all finds have been recorded, the intention is to rebury the skeletons at a location to be determined.