Wealthy nobleman's grave from prehistoric times

Leiden archaeologists have found hundreds of minute bronze artefacts in the grave of a wealthy prehistoric nobleman. The grave is to the south of Oss, beneath one of the largest burial mounds in the Netherlands. The young ruler was given a ceremonial burial here 2600 years ago in a unique and extensive ritual burial ground from the late prehistoric period. The finds will be presented on Thursday 5 November in the Jan Cunen Museum in Oss.

Crime Scene Investigation

The finds are unique, as is the CSI-like research method used in this study. The remains were not excavated in situ; instead, the grave was cleared in blocks. Archaeologists from Leiden University and restorers from Restaura  then studied the blocks in a laboratory environment. Using X-ray research they found no less than 525 minute and very fragile bronze artefacts that would normally not be recoverable. One by one, the artefacts were prepared and preserved. The researchers were then able to reconstruct the details of a prehistoric burial from the early Iron Age, in a way that is very seldom possible.  

Image: The excavation of one of the burial mounds in 2004.

Prehistoric burial

First the trees and shrubs would be cleared at a higher point in the landscape before building a large funeral pyre. Then, a route for the procession would be marked out with poles. The deceased nobleman - a young man of between 25 and 40 - lay on the pyre - together with the harnass of a team of horses, richly decorated with bronze and tin. After the cremation the descendends of the deceased would clean up the procession route and cover the remains of the pyre and the harnass with carefully arranged heather. They would collect the deceased's remains in an urn that they then placed between the heather. Eventually the spot would become a round burial monument some 40 metres across and at least 1.5 metres high.  

Ritual landscape

The burial mound is located in a spacious ritual landscape where the famous nobleman's grave in Oss was also found. Archaeologists suspect that a third nobleman lies under a burial mound that was investigated in 2004. What is remarkable is that this nobleman was apparently buried with minimum burial rituals. The presence of several noblemen's graves from the early Iron Age is unique for the Netherlands, as is the row of poles tens of metres long erected between the burial mounds. The purpose of this row of poles is difficult to determine. 

Image: Making an X-ray image of the nobleman's grave excavated in 2007.

Zevenbergen

The spectacular find was made along the A50 at the Oss-Paalgraven junction, in an area traditionally known as Zevenbergen. Since the excavation, the burial mounds, that are hemmed in between motorways, have been restored.  In the near future this unique piece of prehistoric landscape will be open for visitors.  

Presentation

On Thursday 5 November an exhibition will be opened in the Jan Cunen Museum, at which all the finds from Zevenbergen will be presented for the first time. The first copy of a book telling the unique story of Zevenbergen will be presented to councillor Hoesema from the municipality of Oss. 

Image: The urn from the nobleman's grave excavated in 2007.

(4 November 2009)