Kleine Haarsekade 122 (2018)

In November 2018, by Transect BV an archaeological preliminary investigation carried out in a plan area at Kleine Haarsekade 122. The reason for the investigation is the application for an environmental permit that must make the construction of a new funeral home possible. 

Kleine Haarsekade 122, cemetery

The proposed works will involve earthmoving, which may disturb the original soil and any archaeological remains present in the area. In the current zoning plan, the plan area has a dual designation of Value – Archaeology. An archaeological investigation is mandatory for soil interventions with a surface area larger than 250 m² and deeper than 30 cm -Mv. This means that, given the size of the proposed soil interventions, a preliminary archaeological investigation is required.

Preliminary investigation

The archaeological preliminary research consists of a combined research, namely an Archaeological Desk Research (BO) and an Inventory Field Research (IVO), exploratory phase. The aim of the archaeological desk research is to specify the archaeological expectation, that is to say, to determine the chance that archaeological remains can occur within the plan area on the basis of available and new information on archaeology, cultural history, geomorphology, soil science and land use. The aim of the inventory field research is to test and, where possible, adjust the specified archaeological expectation, by collecting information on the actual soil structure, soil relief and intactness of the soil in the plan area.

Farewell center “De Engel” (2021)

Conclusions

Based on the preliminary archaeological research, the following conclusions were drawn:

• The desk research shows that the subsoil of the plan area may contain bank deposits and possibly bed deposits of the Gorkum-Arkel ridge. Theoretically, habitation was possible on the banks because, as relatively higher parts in a predominantly low and wet landscape, these formed attractive places to live. The activity of this former river has been dated to the Mesolithic-Neolithic period. Remains in the plan area therefore also date to this period. The expectation for this is medium-high. As for the other periods, the archaeological expectation is low. Based on the desk research, the plan area was located in a peat bog in the Bronze Age-Middle Ages period that could overflow from nearby rivers during floods. It was expected that there were no habitation possibilities within this.
• As for the New Age, based on desk research, a low archaeological expectation applies. Historical map material from the 19^e century, no buildings were mapped at the plan area. This gives rise to the expectation that no buildings were present in the plan area in the periods before that.
• Based on the results of the field research, the archaeological expectation from the desk study can be adjusted to low. After all, no archaeologically relevant soil levels can be identified within the plan area. The peat and the basin deposits of the Linge in the area indicate permanently wet conditions that were not habitable. As a result, the expectation is low for the Bronze Age-Late Middle Ages period. However, based on the field research, it has been established that deposits of the Gorkum-Arkel stream ridge are present in the subsoil. However, there are no indications of dry, habitable (bank) deposits: residual channel deposits have been found, which lie on bed deposits. Residual channels are generally too wet for habitation, which is why the expectation of settlement from the Mesolithic-Neolithic period is low. However, water-related remains and/or washed-away finds cannot be completely ruled out in this area.