Vroedschapstraat 7 – 9 (2003)

An archaeological investigation was carried out in the period from 22 July to 29 July 2003 around the plots Vroedschapstraat 7 and 9. The investigation was carried out by Hollandia Archaeologists, commissioned by Cats and Waalwijk Group BV 

The reason for the investigation was the demolition of the existing school buildings in the autumn of 2003 and a subsequent new construction project that included the gymnasium Camphusianum would find a place. The associated lowering of the groundwater level and the planned earthmoving would pose a serious threat to any archaeological remains that may be present.

The most urgent question was whether there were any archaeological traces or constructions on the site. Nothing of this was found during the investigation. The information from the field research indicates that the site was used by humans at most marginally until the Late Middle Ages. Until that period, the site must have belonged to the periphery of human influence. In prehistoric times, the research site belonged to the basins of the Gorinchem-Arkel river belt, while in Roman times and the Early Middle Ages heavy clay was deposited by the Linge and Waal. No traces or constructions were found. This does not mean, however, that the site has no substantive value. The possibility of various, more difficult to trace uses, from hay and pasture land and farmyard to ritual sites, cannot be ruled out. The preservation conditions (wet, oxygen-free and relatively deep below ground level) are also excellent, which means that the scientific value of any sites can only increase.

Forest peat

During the Additional Archaeological Inventory (AAI), a woody layer was drilled, which raised the question of its nature and size. The results of the AAO unanimously point in the direction of the alder swamp forest, which has formed a thick, rooted peat layer. We were unable to determine the size of this forest peat due to the relatively small scale of the research. However, it is plausible that a large part of the area around Gorinchem had a similar character in prehistoric times. It can be concluded from the above that the predictions based on the archaeological expectation map justified. The expectation map does not need to be adjusted in relation to these geological-ecological zones.

Example of an alder swamp forest

The results of the additional archaeological research at the Vroedschapstraat 7 – 9 site are scientifically valuable, but further research is not necessary as the most important questions from the programme of requirements and the requirements set by the archaeologist from the municipality of Gorinchem for the research could be answered.