Archeological abundance near Haren

Hiking trail ‘De Vork’ (the Fork, Railway junction) covers a real archeological treasure hunt. Archeologists have uncovered here a large number of archeological remains. Among others, they found the floorplans of farm houses from the Iron age and the Roman period. Even older items, like flint tools and earthenware pots from the ‘Funnelbeaker culture’ have been found, the time of the Hunebedbuilders. Apparently, in prehistoric times, the eastern flank of the Hondsrug, banking on the Hunze river, was an excellent spot to settle. During the construction of the park the archeological remains have been preserved in-situ as much as possible; the best guarantee to preserve them for the future. In the park you get an impression of what the area looked like in prehistoric times.

Archeologists digging at ‘De Vork’ (picture MUG Engineers)

An Iron age farmstead

Archeologists not only come accross objects during their surveys; they also discover many soil traces: discolorations in the soil. Based on these, one can tell where a pit was once dug or a ditch used to run. Sometimes these traces form a clearly distinguishable plan of a farmstead or another kind of building. At this site, where nowadays railway tracks run, traces were discovered of a Late Iron Age farmstead (approx. 200 AD). These were subsequently used to reconstruct the frame of the farm building. Whether it used to look exactly like this replica is uncertain, because no traces of the superstructure were preserved.