GORINCHEM – 'Pok!' Tim Hoogendijk from Hollandia Archaeologists turns abruptly to his colleague. 'Pok, Pok.' it sounds again. It is clear under the clay layer of the construction pit of the Bluebandhuis on the Arkelstraat in Gorinchem lies something. What, that will become clear later. There is a good chance that it is the remains of medieval habitation. In the five days that the archaeologists of Hollandia and the volunteers of the Gorcumse working group archaeology have been digging, a lot of material from the fifteenth, fourteenth and even thirteenth century has already been found.
Koert Salomons of Hollandia archaeologists among the monastery bricks
"We didn't really expect this. When we started the excavations here we thought we would find material from the 17de in 18de century. We did not find this material. On the other hand, we found much more interesting things. Stones and woodwork from the fourteenth century and older. Material from the time that Gorinchem was founded. That is not often found and moreover, the material has also been well preserved,” Tim Hoogendijk explains.
For example, so-called monastery bricks were found. A typical medieval brick from the fourteenth century. At a deeper level, the archaeologists found slippers. In this case, wooden foundations. And four meters below street level, a ditch was even found with remains from the 13de century.
The archaeologists expect to need another week to get a good picture of what is in the ground. Then the construction pit will be filled in again and construction of the new building can begin Bluebandhuis.
05-11-2011
The City of Gorinchem