Dalem Donk keeps treasure

GORINCHEM – Anyone racing along the cycle path over the Dalemse Donken will probably not notice that this is one of the most special places in the Netherlands. People like 'Trijntje' (found near Hardinxveld before the construction of the Betuweroute) lived here in the Stone Age – 5200 to 2200 years before Christ. A small community that lived from hunting, fishing, plants, berries and whatever else could be found in the polder. They had dogs and perhaps other pets and tools made of bone and flint.

To point out this first archaeological national monument in Gorinchem, alderman Arjen Rijsdijk and his neighbour Margje Schroten (9 years old) from the Dalem Donk unveiled an information panel at this second largest donk in the Netherlands on Saturday during the Open Monument Day. Margje Schroten is very proud that she lives next to such a unique place. "We can always have fun playing here." Indeed, no more construction will take place at this location. During the construction of the donks in 2000, this site came to light during archaeological research. The size of the Donk immediately turned out to be very large: 245 by 140 metres. The construction plan had to be adjusted accordingly." "During drilling research in 2001, traces of habitation were found to a depth of 7.5 metres below ground level," Rijsdijk explains. "Six separate waste layers were discovered in the drillings. This shows that the donk has known various phases of habitation. Flint, charcoal, pottery, seeds and bone were found. But also a skull fragment and red ochre which may indicate that people were buried on the donk.”

Disturb

After these discoveries, it was decided to leave the site alone. “Until there are better research methods,” Arjen Rijsdijk explained. In the future, it may be possible to reconstruct a three-dimensional image. If we were to dig up the donk now and disturb it, it would no longer be possible in the future.” Because the site now has the status of a national monument, the donk is protected. Visitors cannot see the remains. They sit untouched in the soil like a treasure that is preserved for later.

The donkeys (also river dunes named) were formed after the last ice age when stones and sand, carried along by the meltwater, remained here in the riverbeds. Due to the current and the ebb and flow, donks could grow up to twenty meters high. Most donks in the Netherlands have disappeared, but in the Alblasserwaard they were covered with river clay and peat over the centuries. As a result, some donks have been well preserved. During the construction of the Betuweroute, excavations were carried out in donk De Bruin near Hardinxveld. Some beautiful objects were found here, such as an awl, made of bone material from the mute swan, beautifully decorated with decorations. The awls were used for sewing and mending fishing nets, for example.

The Dalem donk is only visible to a limited extent. The top of the donk 'dayzooms', which means that the donk can be seen as an elevation in the field. On top of the donk is now a rough area, around a grass field and some playground equipment.

The City of Gorinchem
13-09-2011