GORINCHEM – Did Jonker Jacob van Paffenrode and his wife Wilhelmina van Arkel eat fish galore, or did they opt for steak? The cesspool discovered yesterday on the Kazerneplein in Gorinchem could possibly reveal those secrets. However, the exact contents still need to be investigated.
Excavation Kazerneplein
The archaeological working group, looking for traces of the House Paffenrode, secured the entire contents of the cesspit immediately after its discovery yesterday. A cesspit is often a rich source of archaeological finds, because in addition to food remains, other waste products also disappeared into it. During excavations in the Gorcumse Happy Corner 'treasure hunters' were attracted to the discovery of the cesspits. They hoped to retrieve saleable objects from the ground.
Maurice Langeveld, originally from Heukelum, is an archaeology student at the University of Amsterdam, was responsible for coordinating the work on the Kazerneplein yesterday. “Before the cesspit was actually uncovered, there were already a few who suspected its existence. They based this on the shape of the construction that was found.” “The food remains that disappeared into it at the time have since decayed, but bones, fishbones and pits can certainly still reveal something about the eating habits of the residents.” “Dishware that was no longer used because it was broken or out of fashion also disappeared into the cesspit. This can tell us something about the wealth of the residents. After all, we know which pottery was used most by which population groups,” says Langeveld.
The Dordrecht resident
August 20, 1997
by Anja Broeken