Nice finds in the first week during excavations in Gorinchem

GORINCHEM – One fifteenth century wall after another has already appeared during the second week of excavations on the Gorcumse Krijtstraat. Whether they are actually from the Court of Arkel are, that remains exciting at this early stage. In the meantime, a few other nice finds have been made, such as five writing pens from the fifteenth century.

Amateur archaeologist Martin Veen, who is involved as a volunteer in the archaeological research on the future V&D site, scours the week's loot, which is set up in bins with plastic bags. He picks out a bag with one of the five found writing pens. "Look, this is what they used to write with in the fifteenth century."

The pens, the size of a crayon and very similar to a stylus, were used to write on a small board covered with a layer of wax, Veen explains. According to him, the discovery of the pens indicates the presence of the old City School, which was built on this site in the fifteenth century – and probably even in the fourteenth century.

Veen, a fanatic volunteer (with twenty years of experience), has taken four weeks of vacation to be able to participate in the excavations on the Krijtstraat. Together with a fellow archaeologist, he filters one wheelbarrow after another of rancid-smelling soil with a large sieve, looking for interesting remains. "That fifteenth-century poop is delicious," jokes Veen, who is digging up to his elbows in the bin.

Chicken

In a plastic container on the ground: the result of a few hours of simmering. “Look, there lies a fifteenth-century chicken,” Veen points to a skull in the container. A little later, a medieval dog's head, the size of a poodle, also turns up. The loot is not really impressive after more than a week of archaeological research on the future V&D site, but that is normal according to Veen. “Just wait a few weeks, until we have been able to dig a bit more, then a few more nice things will turn up,” he expects.

Nevertheless, he is very pleased with the shards of pottery that were found from the thirteenth century. "Those are the first shards from that time that we have come across in the city centre. We have found them outside of that area before, but never here, so I am quite happy with them."

The first old foundations on the terrain in the Krijtstraat are already exposed. Although the archaeologists are certain that these are fifteenth century walls, it remains to be seen whether these are actually the remains of the Hof van Arkel.

""It's just too early for that," says city archaeologist Pieter Floore. "To be able to solve that puzzle, we first need to have excavated a bit more."

The discovery of the Hof would mean an important archaeological find for Gorinchem, because little is actually known about the foundation of the city in which the Van Arkels must have played a major role. Little is also known about the Hof van Arkel itself, except that in 1405 it was 'directly opposite' the Grote Kerk and that it was a residence of Jan van Arkel, according to reference works. 'Directly opposite' has always been assumed to mean the Krijtstraat, because that is also the side where the entrance to the church has traditionally been, but according to Floore it could just as well mean a different entrance, which means that the Hof is located in a completely different location.

The relationship between Gorinchem and the Van Arkels goes back to the thirteenth century. Lords of Arkel belonged for a long time to the most important and richest nobility in the country. In 1400 they owned more than ten thousand hectares of land, twice as large as the current Noordoostpolder. Some Van Arkels held important positions at court.

Six years ago, remains of the 13th were found in the Wijdschild^e century castle of the Van ArkelsAnother important memento that Gorinchem has of the Van Arkels is the city coat of arms that was borrowed from this illustrious nobility.

Jacqueline Bot
August 21, 2002
AD Rivierenland