At the edge of the Noordsche Veld, sheltered by the valley of the Oostervoortsche Diep (links to another website), lies an apparently ordinary field. But beneath this piece of Drenthe soil hides something special: hundreds of Neanderthal tools left behind about 50,000 years ago. “I stood there with my colleague Alexandra Mars,” now deceased. She pointed to the field and said, ‘Look, there is the Neanderthal site.’ That was a goosebumps moment,” says provincial archaeologist Priscilla. “Then I knew: this is not a place like any other.”
More than isolated finds
What makes this location near Peest unique is not only the number of finds – about 650 stone tools have now been found – but especially the way they were found. “We usually find Neanderthal tools as isolated finds, on the surface, without context,” explains Priscilla. “But at this site, they were also found in situ, in the soil, exactly where they were left tens of thousands of years ago.” This makes the finds scientifically much more valuable. Among the stones are hand axes, scrapers, and knives – tools used for hunting, processing hides, or cutting wood.
A landscape full of traces
The field borders an old stream valley. That location is not coincidentally important. “The soil conditions there are perfect for preserving organic material,” says Priscilla. Think of pollen, wood remains, or even bone. Such remains can tell more about what the landscape looked like then, what the Neanderthals did there, and even what they ate. “We hope to excavate such materials next year. Then we can also date the finds better.”
The province as owner and researcher
The province of Drenthe plays a special role in this story. It is not only the client of the research but also recently the owner of the field. It was purchased as part of the Nature Network Netherlands (NNN). “Precisely because we are now the owner, we can enable targeted research,” says Priscilla. “That offers opportunities to really tell the archaeological story well.”
The find also fits seamlessly into provincial policy. In the 2025–2028 Cultural Policy (links to another website) it states that Drenthe wants to learn more about its prehistoric layers, especially about the presence of Neanderthals. “There are still major knowledge gaps. How deep are these sites? How large are they? And where can we expect them? With this find, we can make more targeted policy.”
From secret to shared story
For years, the exact location where many Neanderthal finds were made was deliberately not shared. “You don’t want people going out with shovels themselves,” explains Priscilla. Therefore, only researchers and involved volunteers knew about the site.
Now that the province owns the field, the story behind the find can be told. That does not mean the area is freely accessible for searches. The research is still carried out carefully and under the guidance of professionals. “This heritage belongs to all of us,” says Priscilla, “and we must be careful with it together.”
Moving forward together
The research is carried out by Stichting Stone, archaeological agency De Steekproef, and a group of dedicated volunteers. The cooperation is going well. Nature development makes it possible to combine nature and archaeology. This way, the heritage gets a place in the landscape and becomes more visible and accessible. Everyone feels this is a unique opportunity. We want to make something beautiful together here.”
In the autumn of 2025, core drillings were first carried out. Then targeted excavations will follow in 2026. The finds will eventually go to the Northern Archaeological Depot in Nuis. But according to Priscilla, that is not the end point: “We would prefer that they are also exhibited – for example in museums. So that everyone can see them and the story spreads further.”
What is at stake
What if the province had not invested here? “Then probably some research would have been done legally, as with every soil intervention, but then you miss the bigger story. This is a chance to really gain new knowledge. Knowledge you can later use to better protect other places. If you let it go, you might lose it forever.”
Heritage you can feel
Finally, Priscilla especially hopes that people will go on a discovery tour. “Go to the Noordsche Veld, have coffee at the Natuurplaats, and walk through the landscape. You will find traces of thousands of years of human life – from dolmen to burial mound, from Neanderthal to World War II. Not always visible, but present. And if we pay close attention, we can still learn a lot from it.”