Excavements at Denderbelle (Belgium): 3d to 4d century BC

**Andy1984** · 04-02-2010, 16:28

I've just found a recent (2005) archeological publication on several excavements throughout Belgium. The entire text (in Dutch) can be found here. The parts on Denderbelle, which seem to be the most interesting to me, start from page 231 onwards. Due to the sometimes technical aspects of the text, and even more due to my faulty knowlegde of English I shall continue in Dutch, for which I apologize.

Parts in dutch:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

The text also mentions other findings of this period in Belgium, most importantly four religious canalized ('omgrachte') sites (Aalter, Kooigem, Steendorp en Kemzeke).(p253 for references to literature about these sites)

I'm fully aware most of these findings can't be implemented fully in a game that centers upon warfare. But the higher described domestic organisation (groepen paalwoningen, met grachten nabij landbouwgrond en daarbuiten kuilen) could be used to depict the 'village' or 'agriculture' buildings for a Belgic faction.

kind regards,

Andy

**Mediolanicus** · 04-02-2010, 17:07

Originally Posted by Andy1984

De opgravingen zelf worden gedateerd rond de derde en de vierde eeuw voor Christus, zowel door C-14 als door typochronologische vergelijking (sterke gelijkenissen met vondsten uit Noord-Frankrijk, Henegouwen en Nederland). Vermoedelijk verwijst de tekst met dat laatste naar patronen op aardewerk, daar er meer dan 1800 stuks aardewerk of fragmenten daarvan gevonden werden. De vondsten betreffen:
- een reeks putten nabij de heuvelrug die mogelijk voor zandleemwinning aangelegd werden (p. 232 van de pdf)
- 79 paalgaten bovenop een heuvelrug (p. 233 en 236)
- twee grachten (ca. 1.5 meter breed, soms slechts 80cm). Deze werden regelmatig afgegraven. Hierin werden verbrande leem, verbrande botten en potscherven teruggevonden.
- kuilen die mogelijk dienst deden als steunen voor voorraadpotten. Dit wordt ondersteund door de talrijke vondsten van verbrande botten, potscherven en verbrande leem (zie onderaan p.236)
- De auteurs vermoeden in de grachten een kavelindeling/geperceleerd akkerareaal opgemerkt te hebben. (p.236-237)
- Vondsten van natuursteen die wellicht uit de Ardennen ge¨¨importeerd werden.
- Weefgewichten en een spinschijfje (p.243-245) bevestigen weefactiviteiten, maar konden niet gedateerd worden. Zie p.248 voor een afbeelding van het spinschijfje.

De auteurs stellen dat deze vondsten (en tot op zekere hoogte zelfs de plaatsing ervan: kuilen rondom nederzettingen met nabij grachten en akkertjes) ook op andere sites (o.m. die in Brugelette) voorkwamen. Daarnaast geeft de tekst voor de opgravingen te Denderbelle ook uitgebreide besprekingen van het gevonden aardewerk. (Voor zij die er meer van kennen dan ik: er werd aardewerk teruggevonden met het omphalos-motief. [/spoil]

The site itself is dated back to the third and fourth century BC, both by C14 dating as by typochronical comparison (strong similarity with finds in the North of France, Henegouwen and Holland).
Supposedly this text refers to patterns on pottery, since more than 1800 item or fragments of pottery were found.
Among the findings are:
- a series of holes near a hilltop, most likely constructed to exploit sand-loam;
- 79 pole-holes on top of a hilltop
- two ditches (0.80 - 1.50 meters wide), had been digged multiple times. Burned loam, bones and pottery was found in the ditches.
- holes, most likely used for storage - a claim supported by the findings of burned loam, bones and pottery.
- The autors of the text conclude that the aforementioned ditches were part of a division in land lots, maybe agricultural.
- Findings of stones imported probably from the Ardennes.
- Weights for weaving and a spinning [disk or wheel] that confirm weaving activities - but these were not succesfully dated.

The autors claim that these findings (and certainly the location holes around settlements near ditches and argicultural land) are similar to other in Belgium (e.g. Brugelette). Next to this the text provides detailed descriptions of the pottery that was found (for those who know more about ancient pottery: they found pottery with the omphalos-motive).

Quickly translated.

**Andy1984** · 04-02-2010, 17:13

thanks :)

**Moros** · 04-03-2010, 01:13

I'm not part of the Celtic research team, but as I'm one of the few dutch speaking people on EB I'll have a read and if I'll try to direct the interesting bits to Power & co.

**Andy1984** · 04-03-2010, 08:05

Thanks for having a look at it, although I believe the most interesting parts have already been summorized above. Should I find any more useful information, I'll add them to this thread.

kind regards,

Andy

**antisocialmunky** · 04-04-2010, 03:57

What were they brewing in Belgium in the 4th Century?

**Andy1984** · 04-04-2010, 10:49

Originally Posted by antisocialmunky

What were they brewing in Belgium in the 4th Century?

From what I've heard, little more than water that should have tasted like beer. :)

**Phalanx300** · 04-04-2010, 22:31

Quite some Dutch speaking History fanatics ;).

Not sure how these findings could help EB, I gues in some building texts perhaps or for the placement of an settlement.

**Skullheadhq** · 04-14-2010, 19:17

That's like ... 318 pages, you read all this?

**Smeel** · 04-15-2010, 09:41

Oh dear god, 318 pages in your native language, no one could manage that! /sarcasm

**Skullheadhq** · 04-15-2010, 18:50

Originally Posted by Smeel

Oh dear god, 318 pages in your native language, no one could manage that! /sarcasm

Not in digital form, strangely I can read books (in volumes) of 2000+ pages in bookform, but never get past page 10 in e-books etc. Thus I had to print the EB previews to even get concentrated :D