GORINCHEM – Archaeologists have found some special leather objects during excavations in the city center of Gorinchem. They investigated the soil of the construction site of the Bluebandhuis Although this was already the case in November 2011, it was only during the conservation of the finds that it became clear what they had in their hands.
It concerns a 14de century calfskin glove. Never before has such a specimen been found in the Netherlands. The discovery of a harness, part of a horse harness, is also special. The preservation, in which castor oil is used, took several weeks.
Calfskin glove from the 14de century
Glove and harness appear in construction pit
The discovery of a calfskin glove from the fourteenth century in the city centre of Gorcum is unique. Never before has such a luxurious garment from that period been found in the Netherlands, as appears from a publication in the newsletter of the Archaeological Leather Group. “It is a surprising find,” says Martin Veen of the municipal depot for archaeological finds in Gorinchem. “Similar calfskin gloves from the fourteenth century have only been found in Switzerland and Sweden. Dutch examples were from a later period and made of goatskin. Such a glove was discovered in Dordrecht in 2008.” Hollandia Archaeologists and the volunteers of the Archaeology Working Group investigated the construction site of the former Bluebandhuis on the corner of Arkelstraat and Rosmolensteeg in November 2011. Owner Port 6 originally wanted to restore the house, but the costs were so high that rebuilding proved better. This gave the archaeologists the opportunity to conduct soil research in this part of the city centre. Among other things, it yielded the foundations of houses from the thirteenth century: never before had traces of houses of the common man from that period been found in the Arkelstad.
Fragment of a harness, drawing by Raf Timmermans.
Water well
"The remains of the leather glove come from a 14de century well that contained a fair amount of waste. It is not the only leather object found at that location,” says Veen. According to him, remains of a harness were also found. That is a neck piece for a draft animal, such as a horse. Researcher Marloes Rijkelijkhuizen does not dare to draw that conclusion, as appears from her publication in the newsletter of the Archaeological Leather Group. This is an international group of archaeologists who have specialized in researching leather finds. She speaks of a mystery object. "It can hardly be otherwise, given the size of that piece of leather and the way it is put together," says Veen. He thinks that she is very cautious with her conclusion. "The discovery of horse harness at that location also fits in with the rest of the archaeological findings in that area." For example, the remains of a wheel came to light, remains of the horse mill to which the alley that runs along the plot owes its name.
Horse mill
A horse mill is a horse-powered milling installation. Farmers brought their grain there to be ground into flour. On a city map from 1575, such a mill is drawn at precisely that location. For Pieter Floore, senior archaeologist at Hollandia Archaeologists, the discovery and the map by Jacob van Deventer were the confirmation of a suspicion that had been around for a while. Research a few years earlier on the corner of Kortendijk and Rosmolensteeg already gave an idea of what the archaeologists could find. "And yet you keep coming across surprises," says Veen. "That glove is of course the pinnacle. But we also found beautiful leather knife sheaths, as well as the remains of footwear." A tiny brooch on which a man with a bellows and a spinning rod on which the wool was sitting were clearly visible were also found.
Mouse skeletons found in the jug
Mice
One of the other surprises that Veen definitely wants to mention is his medieval mousetrap. The Gorcumer who, together with Toos Busch, manages the municipal depot for archaeological finds, discovered it by chance. "That trap is a grey-baked earthenware water jug," says Veen. "I wanted to clean it for conservation. When I emptied it, it turned out to contain fourteen mouse skeletons." The jug was probably buried. "Unsuspecting mice walked to their deaths, because the creatures that fell into that jug never came out again."
More about the finds at the Bluebandhuis Gorinchem on : www.archeologiegorinchem.com
Anja Broeken
AD Rivierenland
25 – 7‑2013