Kooiweg 2 and unnumbered (2015)

Kooiweg unnumbered

The reason for the investigation by ADC Archeoprojects was the application for an environmental permit for the construction of a house and a cattle shed.

Based on the desk research, a specified expectation was drawn up. This shows that the plan area is located in the Alblasserwaard, an extensive basin area with fossil stream belts and crevasses in the subsurface. These units manifest themselves as elongated, narrow zones, which, due to their sandy composition, subsided less than clay and peat in the surrounding area. As a result, they were higher in the landscape and were preferably selected for habitation and agriculture in the past. The distribution of crevasse deposits is generally relatively limited. This means that these deposits are less suitable for large settlements than the stream belts. On crevasse deposits, mainly archaeological remains in the form of individual house sites or small-scale settlements can be expected.

Given the presumed relationship of the expected crevasse deposits at sub-area Kooiweg 2 with the Merwede to the south, any archaeological values ​​present will date from the period from Roman times. These will be located at or directly below ground level and will manifest themselves as a 'dirty layer' with small fragments of pottery, charcoal, bone and/​or brick. They can be related to various complex types, including settlements and field layers.

Duck decoy

At the location of Kooiweg unnumbered no crevasse deposits are expected. Due to the lower location in the landscape and in the past wetter conditions no house sites or settlements are expected here. However, traces of exploitation in the form of ditches can be found.

Kooiweg with duck decoy, cadastral map 1874

Based on old maps, no remains of historical buildings are expected in the plan area. However, there was a duck decoy. Duck decoys are characteristic of the lowest and wettest parts of the basin areas, often spring areas, which did not freeze in the winter and therefore attracted ducks. They were also often far from the habitation, because peace and quiet is an important condition. From a cultural-historical perspective, they form interesting elements in the landscape. However, the duck decoy in the plan area was removed during the construction of an orchard in the second quarter of the 20^e century completely disappeared.

Drilling research

In order to test the above expectation and to supplement it where necessary, an exploratory drilling investigation was carried out in the plan area. This shows that the subsoil consists of non-calcareous, almost unripe to semi-ripe clay (Echteld Formation) and weakly clayey to mineral-poor peat (Nieuwkoop Formation). This structure is characteristic of wet basin areas, in which little or no river sedimentation occurred periodically. At the bottom of borehole 5, which was continued deeper than the other boreholes, a calcareous, strongly silty clay package was tapped at 360 cm below sea level. This may concern bank deposits of a stream belt or crevasse. The topsoil is formed by a 45 to 80 cm clay cover, which was probably formed at the time of flooding of the Merwede, which is located further south. There are no indications in the topsoil for the presence of a crevasse.

Due to the lack of a potential archaeological level, the archaeological expectation must be adjusted downwards. Based on this, ADC ArcheoProjecten advises to release both areas for the proposed development.