During excavations near Susteren, archaeologists made a remarkable discovery: the remains of a 5,500-year-old farm.
The discovery was made during preparations for the widening of the A2. It is the first farm from the late Stone Age found in South Limburg. At that time, people began to settle in fixed locations and practice agriculture.
Remarkable find due to a grain kernel
The excavated farm dates back to the period of the Hazendonk culture, around 3600 BC. Archaeologists found post holes, pottery, and flint tools. Thanks to a grain kernel found in a post hole and tested with carbon dating, the age of the farm could be accurately determined.
Reconstruction of the farm
After thousands of years, not much remains of the farm. However, archaeologists are able to sketch a good picture of what the farm might have looked like. They also use information from other sites in Europe from this period.
The farm was likely about 9 m long, with walls of wattle and daub, and a thatched roof down to the ground. A 3D reconstruction gives an idea of how the building must have looked.
Rare find
According to project leader Marc Ruijters from RAAP, it is an exceptional find: ‘When we saw the first post holes, I immediately felt that we were on to something special. Finding such a well-preserved house plan from this early period is rare in the Netherlands. House plans from the Hazendonk culture are very rare in the Netherlands. They have only been found in the west of the country. Susteren now joins that list. There are also few parallels in Europe.’
Archaeologist Boudewijn Goudswaard from the Missing Link confirms this view: ‘It is indeed a very special find, although we cannot put it in a showcase in a museum. Such a well-preserved house plan from this time is almost impossible to find in the Netherlands.’
