New ways to reach the public
3rd — 7th October 2011
Bringing archaeology to life !
Hunebedcentrum
Bronnegerstraat 12
9531 TG Borger
The Netherlands
+31 599 236374 [email protected] www.hunebedcentrum.org
OPENARCH ZEITGEIST
With the support of the Culture
Programme of the European
Union
1
Table of Contents
Page
1. Programme Monday 3 October 2
2. Programme Tuesday 4 October 2
3. Programme Wednesday 5 October 3
4. Programme Thursday 6 October 4
5. Programme Friday 6 October 4
6. Delegates OpenArch 5
7. Delegates Zeitgeist 6
8. Delegates Living History and Students 7
9. Other Delegates 8
10. Speakers and Workshop Leaders 9
11. Speakers and Workshop Leaders – CV‘s 10
12. Lectures and Workshops - Summaries 14
13. The Hondsrug 17
14. Borger—Odoorn 21
15. City of Groningen 22
16. Cycle Ride 23
17. Bus Tour 26
18. Plan of the Hunebedcentrum 28
19. Map of Borger 29
20. Contact Information 30
21. Notes 31
2
Conference Programme
(If you have any questions during the conference, please ask the conference staff at the reception table by the entrance or con-
tact one of the organisers on the numbers shown at the back of this booklet.)
Monday 3 October – Arrival Day
18.30 Minibus pick up from hotels
19.00 Drenthe Buffet in the Hunebedcentrum
20.00 Welcome by Hein Klompmaker, director of the Hunebedcentrum
and Marco Out, mayor of Borger-Odoorn
Tuesday 4 October – Workshops and Discussions
08.00 Minibus pick up from hotels
09.00 There will be two separate groups:
OpenArch: Tour of new website for the Steering Committee and PR people
(Auditorium)
Zeitgeist: Review of Zeitgeist project to date and future activities and others:
(KnowledgeCentre)
10.45 Coffee and tea
11:00 Introduction to the Hunebedcentrum and guided tour of the museum
12.30 Lunch
13.30 There will be two separate groups:
OpenArch: Steering Committee meeting (Auditorium)
Zeitgeist Group workshop on ‗How to Organise a Successful Heritage Fair‘ led by Annemarie Pothaar.
and others: Each museum will present ideas and delegates will co-operate to produce a winning concept
(KnowledgeCentre)
(OpenArch members not on the Steering Committee may also participate)
15.00 Coffee and tea
15.15 Group meetings continue
17.00 Minibus to hotels
19.00 Dinner in Hotel Bieze
3
Wednesday 5 October – Conference Day
08.30 Minibus pick up from hotels
Morning Programme: What’s New in Archaeology?
09.00 Opening address by Evert van Ginkel, chairman
Introduction and welcome by Hein Klompmaker, Managing Director, Hunebedcentrum
09.30 Setting Goals in Social Media by Charlotte Jensen, National Museum of Denmark
10.15 The Archaeologist as CSI Agent by Hein Klompmaker, Managing Director, Hunebedcentrum
10.45 Coffee and tea
11.15 Virtual Heritage: combining the past with modern technology
by Sebastian Buks, Dohi Sweden AB, Sweden
11.45 Communication Techniques of the Future
by Jan Hendrik de Bruin and Wouter Slotegraaf, Speak
Lunch
Living History: demonstrations of ancient crafts and experimental archaeology
Afternoon programme: Workshops
14:00 Block 1
A. How to Write a Good Story by Jouke Nijman, Flashstudio (Auditorium)
B. How to Get a Story – all about branding (KnowledgeCentre)
by Erik Schoppen & Herman ten Kate, Hanzehogeschool
15:00 Coffee and tea
15:30 Block 2
C. How to spread a story – conducting cross-media campaigns (KnowledgeCentre)
by Jef Folkerts, Hanzehogeschool
D. Social Media by Charlotte Jensen, National Museum of Denmark
(Auditorium)
16.30 Closing address by Tanja Klip-Martin, deputy of Drenthe Province
with special responsibility for media and culture
17.00 Informal drinks reception
18.00 Minibus to hotels (or delegates can remain at the Hunebedcentrum)
19.00 European Buffet in the Hunebedcentrum
4
Thursday 6 October – Excursions Day
NB This evening we shall travel direct from Groningen to the restaurant for dinner.
We shall not be returning to the hotel or the Hunebedcentrum before dinner.
Good weather programme
09.00 Minibus pick up from hotels
09.30 Bicycle tour visiting hunebeds and other prehistoric monuments
11.30 Bus to Groningen, with packed lunch
13:00 Visit the Groninger Museum to see new media techniques in action
14.30 Boat trip on the Groningen canals
16.00 Optional walking tour of the hofjes (historic almshouse courtyards and gardens)
and free time in Groningen
18.00 Bus from Groningen to the restaurant
19.00 Farewell Dinner with closing speeches at restaurant De Wiemel in Gasselte
Bad weather programme
09.00 Minibus pick up from hotels
09.30 Geopark de Hondsrug - a presentation by Harrie Wolters
10:30 Bus to Groningen, with packed lunch
13.00 Visit the Groninger Museum to see new media techniques in action
14.30 Boat trip on the Groningen canals
16.00 Optional walking tour of the hofjes (historic almshouse courtyards and gardens)
and free time in Groningen
18.00 Bus from Groningen to the restaurant
19.00 Farewell Dinner with closing speeches at restaurant De Wiemel in Gasselte
Friday 7 October – Travelling Day
08.00 – 10.00 By minibus to Assen Station for travel to Schiphol.
Trains leave Assen twice an hour. There is a convenient train at 09:24, arriving Schiphol at 11:38. Participants taking this
train should not plan to fly before 13:00 at the earliest.
5
Delegates - OpenArch
Last name Name Organisation E-mail
Sorrosal Albert ASDM Consultoria [email protected]
Guiseppe Caruso Modena [email protected]
Pulini Ilaria Modena [email protected]
Cervetti Giorgio Modena [email protected]
Buttler Jakobsen Björn M Foteviken [email protected]
Ahlroth Anette Foteviken [email protected]
Burrow Steve Wales [email protected]
Llwyd Iwan Wales
Hill Penny Wales
Veldman Jack Archeon [email protected]
Tienhoven Corien Archeon [email protected]
Bos Saskia Archeon [email protected]
Drost Ratna Archeon [email protected]
Kelm Rüdiger Albersdorf [email protected]
Thomsen Christiane Albersdorf [email protected]
Kelm Leo Albersdorf [email protected]
Gomez- Gutiérrez Manuel Calafell [email protected]
Sliden Miska Kierikki [email protected]
Lehtinen Leena Kierikki [email protected]
Sør-Reime Geir Steering Committee [email protected]
Paardekooper Roeland EXARC [email protected]
Zielinska Magda EXARC [email protected]
Andrian Barrie Scottish Crannog Centre [email protected]
6
Delegates – Zeitgeist
Last name Name Organisation E-mail
Heidt Joris Archeon [email protected]
Fraza Hanah Archeon [email protected]
Hassoldt Willem Archeon [email protected]
Bloema Fokko Archeon [email protected]
Samper Carro Sofia Noguera [email protected]
Vega Bolívar Susana Noguera
Wesemann Michael Uelsen [email protected]
Ploeg Ria Uelsen [email protected]
van Beest Ria Uelsen
van Beest Frits Uelsen
Madsen Ole Landa [email protected]
Banghard Karl Oerlinghausen [email protected]
Berke Henrik Oerlinghausen
Crumbach Sylvia Oerlinghausen
Kriemann Andrea Oerlinghausen
Ronschke Bettina Oerlinghausen
ter Steege Wolter Hunebedcentrum [email protected]
Deen Martin Hunebedcentrum
7
Delegates - Living History (5 October)
Last name Name Organisation Experiment / craft
Banghard Karl Oerlinghausen Critical review of Iron Age textile
techniques with practical examples
Crumbach Sylvia Oerlinghausen Card weaving
Kelm Rudiger AOZA Flint knapping
Panman Freelance Basket weaving
van der Zwan Ronald Den Blauwen Swaen
van der Zwan Blue Den Blauwen Swaen Sprang (braiding), spinning wool,
needlework, comb or card weaving
Verschoor Carina Student Pottery decoration
Werner Hellen [email protected]
Werner Mike
Delegates - Students
Last name Name
Bartelds Astrid NL
Kooi Kevin NL
van der Zwaag Vincent NL
Liempt Suzanne NL
van der Teems Allard NL
Prins Chiel NL
Pasagic Ednan NL
Kristiaan Arno NL
8
Other Delegates
Last name Name Organisation E-mail
van Ginkel Evert TGV Teksten
en Presentaties
Toussaint Iris TGV Teksten [email protected]
en Presentaties
Verschoor Carina Student
Woltering Marjolein De Steekproef [email protected]
Schoppen Erik Hanzehogeschool [email protected]
ten Kate Herman Hanzehogeschool [email protected]
Folkerts Jef Hanzehogeschool [email protected]
Liefers Jan Hanzehogeschool [email protected]
Nijman Jouke Studio Flashback [email protected]
de Bruin Jan Hendrik Speak [email protected]
Slotegraaf Wouter Speak [email protected]
Werner Hellen [email protected]
Werner Mike
Pothaar Annemarie Freelance [email protected]
Jensen Charlotte National Museum [email protected]
of Denmark
Buks Sebastian Dohi Sweden AB [email protected]
Minnema Johanneke Tempeest [email protected]
Dubois Peter Tempeest [email protected]
van der Swan Ronald Den Blauwen Swaen
van der Swan Blue Den Blauwen Swaen
Panman Freelance
Veen Veronica
9
Speakers and Workshop Leaders
Last name Name Organisation E-mail
Klompmaker Hein Hunebedcentrum [email protected]
Ording Yvonne Hunebedcentrum
Folkerts Jef Hanzehogeschool [email protected]
Schoppen Erik Hanzehogeschool [email protected]
ten Kate Herman Hanzehogeschool [email protected]
Nijman Jouke Studio Flashback [email protected]
de Bruin Jan Hendrik Speak [email protected]
Slotegraaf Wouter Speak [email protected]
Pothaar Annemarie Freelance [email protected]
Jensen Charlotte National Museum [email protected]
of Denmark
Buks Sebastian Dohi Sweden AB [email protected]
Kelm Rüdiger Albersdorf [email protected]
Banghard Karl Oerlinghausen [email protected]
Crumbach Sylvia Oerlinghausen
Minnema Johanneke Tempeest [email protected]
Dubois Peter Tempeest [email protected]
van Ginkel Evert TGV Teksten
en Presentaties
10
Speakers and Workshop Leaders – CV‘s
Name: Evert van Ginkel
Company: TGV Teksten en Presentaties
Type of presentation: Chairman‘s speech
Curriculum Vitae:
Evert van Ginkel (1955) studied Cultural Prehistory at Leiden University. After graduating in
1982, he established himself as a self- employed writer of books and articles on Dutch
archaeology for the general public and organizer of archaeological exhibitions. As such, he
was responsible for the content of the present Hunebedcentrum Borger exhibition. He is
founder-director of TGV teksten en presentatie, one of the oldest private archaeological
agencies in the Netherlands.
Name: Annemarie Pothaar
Company: Freelance
Type of presentation: Workshop
Curriculum Vitae:
Ms. drs. Annemarie Pothaar (1977), Master of Arts in Heritage Education & Interpreta-
tion. After studying for a Bachelor of Leisure Studies in Rotterdam NL, she finished her
Masters degree (2001) at Newcastle University in the UK with Dr.Peter Stone, one of the
UK‘s leading specialists in Heritage Education. Since then she has worked for a National
Park, Historic (Open Air)
Museums and the Dutch Royal Armouries and currently works as a heritage outreach
officer for the archaeology services in Almere. She also works freelance on tailor-made
interpretation projects for several heritage institutions. She is working towards her PhD
which is on how people learn in museum settings, when they are confronted with live
historic (costumed) interpretation.
Annemarie specialises in Audience Outreach: Heritage Education and (Live) Historic In-
terpretation and she has 15 years professional experience working with living history
and live interpretation in museums and heritage settings. Her aim is authenticity and her
motto is taken from Freeman Tilden – ‘engage, relate, reveal’. In all areas of interpreta-
tion she focuses on the balance of the overall experience, including Educational Theory,
Entertainment, ‗Hostmanship‘ and policy development. Through this balance, combined
with a strong organisational talent and vision, she develops memorable events, presen-
tations, activities and exhibitions.
11
Name: Hein Klompmaker
Company: Hunebedcentrum
Type of presentation: Lecture
Curriculum Vitae:
Hein Klompmaker (1954) studied Social and Economic History at the University of
Groningen. He graduated in 1980 and became the Managing Director of the Hunebed-
centrum in 1988. In 1996 he won the Dutch Tourism Prize for the Hunebedcentrum.
Between 2004 and 2009 he wrote four children‘s books (for 5-8 year olds) about a child
living in the Neolithic Period. In 2008 he won the National Museum Prize and the Re-
gional Tourism Prize for the Hunebedcentrum. The following year he won the Je
Maintiendrai Prize 2009 for his essay on regional identity.
Name: Charlotte Jensen
Company: National Museum of Copenhagen, Denmark
Type of presentation: Workshop and lecture
Curriculum Vitae:
Since 2005 Charlotte has been web editor and community manager at the National Mu-
seum of Denmark, and development consultant at the Danish State Archives. Charlotte has
a degree in popular culture (folklore) and has worked with cultural heritage and digital
media since 1996.
Name: Sebastian Buks
Company: Dohi Sweden AB
Type of presentation: Lecture
Curriculum Vitae:
Sebastian Buks (1981) is an MSc (2010) from the Faculty of Engineering at Lund University, Sweden where he studied
Information and Communication Technology. After his studies he started a successful business focusing on mobile
development. Currently he is working as a mobile development consultant at one of the biggest media groups in
Scandinavia. He has a great interest in interaction and design/user experience and loves to evoke Déjá Vu feelings in his
users. He openly admits to being an Apple fan, but any new and cool technology will do really.
12
Name: Jan Hendrik de Bruin and Wouter Slotegraaf
Company: Speak
Type of presentation: Lecture
Curriculum Vitae:
Speak is a leader in the field of digital communication, helping organisations with advice, support and the creation and man-
agement of the most appropriate digital communication channels to meet their objectives. Our team currently numbers 30 full
-time professionals and we are still growing. Speak‘s core activity is translating communication issues into concrete solutions
such as digital signage, internet sites, multi-touchscreens and mobile applications. Our clients include banks, broadcasters,
social services, schools, colleges and Geopark de Hondsrug.
Name: Jouke Nijman
Company: Studio Flashback
Type of presentation: Workshop
Curriculum Vitae:
Jouke Nijman is a historian and has worked at the Rijks Universiteit Groningen for 18 years
He is a developer of teaching methods for large publishers, for instance as lead author of the ‗Speurtocht‘ history series for
Thieme-Meulenhoff.
He also works as an illustrator, including 3D-animations, for museums, educational publishers, teaching and scientific
institutions and film companies.
Jouke Nijman began his career as a teacher and later studied History at the University of Groningen. He worked in turn as a
researcher in the Economics Faculty and as a teacher in the Faculty of Literature. For the Geschiedeniswinkel (‗history shop‘),
the research bureau of the Faculty of Literature, he produced exhibitions, books and educational websites. He also worked as
an illustrator and developer of teaching systems for large publishers. For ThiemeMeulenhoff he acted as lead writer for
Speurtocht, a history teaching series for Primary schools and recently worked as illustrator on the latest series from publisher
Malmberg. At the same time he develops educational website and teaching modules.
Studio Flashback specialises in historical and archaeological illustrations and 3D -reconstructions.
As well as working for publishers, Jouke Nijman has also produced illustrations for TV productions and documentaries. For the
Hunebedcentrum he is working on a series of school wall posters about the Hunebed builders. He is also producing a school
wall poster for the Wierdenmuseum in Ezinge, Groningen, about the history of the inhabitation of that region.
For the Archaeological Research & Consultancy he is illustrating a series of archeological books for the general public. The first
in this series, ‗The Flames of Kalteren' is an informative narrative about Drenthe in the 13th century. The second part about the
area around Hallum in Friesland will shortly be available.
In addition, Jouke works with Marcel Leuning on producing 3-D reconstructions. At the moment they are busy on a
reconstruction of the castle of Coevorden, the only castle in the province of Drenthe.
13
Name: Jef Folkerts
Company: Hanzehogeschool
Type of presentation: Workshop
Curriculum Vitae:
Jef Folkerts (1958) graduated from the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (MFA, Art, culture and media) in 1994. He started as an
instructor in new media applications at ArtEZ, Institute of the Arts and is now a lecturer in game design and cross-media
design at the School of Communication and Media of the Hanze University of Groningen. Jef is a dedicated person, if
something attracts his attention he likes to explore it in depth. As a teacher he is always willing to explain things a second
time. In addition to his position as a lecturer, he is currently engaged in Ph.D. research on videogames: signification, imagi-
nation and mimesis.
Name: Erik Schoppen
Company: Hanzehogeschool
Type of presentation: Workshop
Curriculum Vitae:
Erik Schoppen (1968) graduated from the Hanze University of Groningen (MFA, Advanced studies in New Media) where he
now teaches brand and design management. In 2003 he co-founded Miazo, a strategic brand design and translation
agency which operates internationally. In addition to his design, teaching and brand consultancy position, he lectures on his
area of expertise. What makes his lectures unique is the rich pallet of subjects which he discusses, ranging from neurology,
perception and cognitive psychology to marketing, branding and design.
Name: Herman ten Kate
Company: Hanzehogeschool
Type of presentation: Workshop
Curriculum Vitae:
Herman ten Kate (1955) began to work as an independent graphic designer in 1982 after studying at ArtEZ, Institute of the
Arts. A few years later he joined Wolters-Noordhoff, the largest educational publishing house in the Netherlands. There he
improved his skills as a book designer and as a manager in the field of corporate identity, design management and
branding. Since 2004 he has passed on this expertise to bachelor students at the School of Communication and Media at
Hanze University of Groningen, while also working as an independent design consultant. Herman hopes to finish his master
thesis on Brand Management for the European Institute of Brand Management in 2012.
14
Lectures and Workshops - Summaries
Setting Goals in Social Media by Charlotte Jensen, National Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen
What is 2.0 and social media? Web 2.0 refers to a development on the internet which has developed very seriously in recent
years. Instead of being a place where some people publish content, the internet has much more become a place for
communication and cooperation.
It is open to discussion whether this is a new direction or if we are actually returning to the roots of the Net. Tim Berners-Lee,
who is regarded as the father of the modern internet, has said several times that the Internet is finally becoming what he had
always thought it should be: mainly a communication tool. Of course the Net began to be used in this way from the very start,
when people wrote to each other on black & white screens on bulletin boards (an early version of ―chat rooms‖).
Obviously one should use technologies because they are useful, not because they are smart and in fashion. On the other
hand, if it is only the older established ways of communication and dissemination which are useful – such as e-mail,
presentations, publications and exhibitions – then it is time to review the situation once more.
The Archaeologist as CSI Agent by Hein Klompmaker, director of the Hunebedcentrum
In this case study on empathic archaeology, Hein Klompmaker shows what the Hunebedcentrum has done to prepare a good
content-base ready for use with new media. Working together with illustrators, the museum has created new posters for use
not only in schools and in the museum itself, but also in the context of new media. Klompmaker shows not only that you
always have to start by producing content, but also that, once the content is there, new media present an enormous number
of possibilities to use that content in an innovative way.
Virtual Heritage: combining the past with modern technology by Sebastian Buks, Dohi Sweden AB, Sweden
In a world where two out of every three phones sold is a Smartphone, and the wheel of technology is spinning faster each
day, the possibilities seem endless. However, with an industry which is driven by consumer-level games, one could wonder
where the rest fits in? In this lecture, Sebastian will present state-of-the-art technology and show how it can be combined with
everyday hardware to produce jaw-dropping experiences and new ways to mediate our heritage.
15
Communication Techniques of the Future by Jan Hendrik de Bruin and Wouter Slotegraaf, Speak
Geopark de Hondsrug is installing new technology called Microsoft Surface to provide visitors with information in an interactive and
innovative manner. Microsoft Surface is a revolutionary computer application, a 30-inch touch screen which looks like a table
-top and reacts to the natural movement of hands and physical objects. There is no mouse or keyboard and users
communicate with the technology simply and intuitively. The multi-touch system allows up to 52 users at the same time to
manipulate and edit digital content, to control specific interactions with objects, and to connect other equipment to
communicate with Microsoft Surface. Moreover, the built-in cameras can recognise the shapes of objects placed on the
table. Displayed information can be shared with others through social media such as Twitter, Hyves and Facebook.
In January 2011 Microsoft and Samsung jointly launched the second generation table in Las Vegas. Speak was present at
the launch and was one of the first developers world-wide to develop an application for Surface 2.0, editing and
implementing information supplied by the Geopark. This exciting new technology is expected to be available from October.
Workshop A How to Write a Good Story by Jouke Nijman, Flashstudio
When marketing a product or a service, creating an advertising campaign, or writing a press release or magazine article, the
first thing you need is a good story. This workshop will show you how to create a good story using some exciting and
surprising new ideas. The traditional way of writing a story is through the written or spoken word, but it is also possible to
tell a story by creating an image. An image can of course be two dimensional but it can also be three dimensional.
Archaeology can be brought vividly to life by creating 3D-reconstructions that show an image of how things actually looked
in (pre-)historic times. These 3-D images of archaeological or historical scenes or objects not only show the object from
different sides, but also from above or below.
Jouke Nijman is an illustrator who creates 2-D and 3-D images. In this workshop he shows you how to use these images to
tell a story.
Workshop B How to Get a Story - all about branding by Erik Schoppen & Herman ten Kate,
Hanzehogeschool
This workshop is an introduction to branding. You will learn about the meaning and necessity of branding, whether for
companies or organizations, for services or products. Using examples from all kinds of brands, the focus will be on helping
you to identify the required position for your own brand. Working in small groups, you will consider concepts such as the
values and meanings behind the heritage and cultural aspects of a brand. An open-minded and enthusiastic approach is
necessary for maximum interaction and benefit.
16
Workshop C How to Spread a Story – conducting cross-media campaigns by Jef Folkerts,
Hanzehogeschool
In this workshop you will discover the basics and principles of cross-media. The purpose of cross-media is to invent exciting
campaigns and promote them through a variety of different methods of communication. In the short time available, we shall
review a number of brain-storming techniques and look at examples of successful campaigns. Working in small groups, you
will practice some brain-storming techniques based on your own brand preferences and brand values. The workshop will
also focus on story-telling as an important part of explaining the heritage and cultural aspects of a brand.
Workshop D Social Media by Charlotte Jensen, University of Denmark, Copenhagen
Google, Twitter, Facebook, Hyves, Linked in, RSS Feeds, Flickr, Slideshare, iPhones, apps – the list of new and emerging
technologies appearing under the heading of social media seems never-ending. For most young people, and also for a
growing number of older users, these media are now an indispensible part of modern life and an essential tool for
communicating and receiving information. Taking away someone‘s Blackberry is like switching off their life-support system.
But what do these different brands do? How do they work? What benefits do they offer? And most important of all, how can
you join in, get started and use these media to publicise your museum, attract new visitors, disseminate information and
create a totally new and exciting experience for your target market. This workshop will show you that it‘s not as difficult as it
might look.
17
The Hondsrug
Our route by bus today takes us from Borger to Groningen, two places which both lie on the
Hondsrug in the East of the province of Drenthe.
The Hondsrug is a hilly area of high ground which is clearly visible on satellite pictures as a num-
ber of long straight lines running parallel to each other from south to north. It covers a distance
of 80 kilometres from Coevorden and Nieuw-Schoonebeek in the south to Groningen in the
north, The Hondsrug - and indeed the rest of the Drenthe landscape - was formed during the Ice
Age.
It was the unique features of the Drenths landscape which attracted the first people to live and
work here. The best-known of these are of course the Hunebed Builders, the Funnel Beaker Peo-
ple who not only built the hunebeds but also laid out many of the routes along the Hondsrug
which are still used to this day.
Satellite picture of East Drenthe clearly showing
the Hondsrug and other ridges The two dots
show Groningen in the North and Emmen in the
South
The Hondsrug contains many monuments and traces of the past. Indeed almost every hill,
every line, every building and other feature of the landscape is full of stories. Examples are the
medieval karrensporen or cart tracks found in many places including the area known as the
Balloërveld, or the Kniphorstbos in the Drentsche Aa Nationaal Park which has been named
the Drents Pompeii because of the wealth of archaeological remains found there. Stories from
a later time are told by the fortresses at Coevorden and Groningen or the long line of fortifica-
tions along the eastern border of the Netherlands with Germany which were erected around
1800 after the French occupation of The Netherlands
18
Unique culture
Apart from its exciting history, the Hondsrug is also a fascinating landscape with a unique cul-
ture which can be seen in many places.
The gentle sandy landscape of North and East Drenthe was formed during the last two Ice Ages
and the area has a clearly different character from the rest of the province. The topography is
defined by a series of four ridges of sand and boulder clay running from North-North-West to
South-South-East, of which the Hondsrug is the most clearly developed. The Hondsrug is also
the most easterly and its eastern edge forms a striking contrast to the much lower peat colo-
nies of the Hunzedal.
The ridges are separated from each other by narrow stream valleys lying between them, al-
though virtually nowhere are these ridges more than 5 metres higher than the valleys. The
whole area of ridges and valleys is called the Hondsrugsystem.
Landscape and morphology
These ridges of East Drenthe are also very interesting as landscape. Here we find the charac-
teristic zanddorpen or sand villages with their arable fields (or essen) surrounded by reclaimed
areas and some remaining heathlands and woods. The stream valleys between the ridges, es-
pecially in the north, have a more open character as the swampy ground was always a barrier
to human inhabitation.
From east to west the four sand ridges are divided into:
the Hondsrug
the sand ridge of Tynaarlo
the sand ridge of Rolde
de Zeijen ridge
Of these, the most westerly Zeijenrug is the least distinctive. Although they are called sand
ridges, deposits of boulder clay are present everywhere or at least the remains of deposits in
the form of keizand. Boulder clay is mainly found on the crowns of the ridges, where the depos-
its are thickest. This is seen most clearly on the Northern Hondsrug where layers of 5 metres or
more are normal. Towards the edges the layer of boulder clay quickly become thinner.
Het Hondsrugsysteem in Oost-
Drenthe.
1 = Hondsrug
2 = Tynaarlorug
3 = Rolderrug
4 = Zeyenrug
A = stuwwalruggen in Oost-
Groningen en in Zuid-Drenthe
19
Of the four ridges of sand and boulder clay, the Hondsrug shows the clearest morphological de-
velopment. It begins at Klazienaveen near Emmen in the south and runs about 70 km north to
the city of Groningen. After an interruption just north of the city, the system of boulder clay
ridges can be followed for a further 20 km to the village of Baflo, although by now it has shifted
somewhat and is covered with sea clay.
The Hondsrug is highest in the south and middle, where the height above sea level is around 20
metres. It is also at its widest at that point. The other sand ridges are not so high or so wide. All
of the ridges gradually reduce in height towards the north. On the border between Drenthe and
Groningen the sand ridges are covered with peat and seaclay.
On the east and south side of the Hondsrug an enormous area of peat many metres thick was
created in the Holocene epoch. For prehistoric people these peat bogs may have had a social or
religious significance. The tracks laid down in the peat may bear witness to places of execution
or sacrifice, as may the offerings and other remains found nearby. These include the remains of
carts, utensils and also bodies. Since the Middle Ages the peatbogs have been used as summer
pasture and for growing buckwheat. Since the 19th century they have also been very important
for turf extraction, first by the monasteries in the lowlands around Groningen and then by the
city dwellers themselves.
Esdorpen and brinkdorpen – Hondsrug villages
On the Hondsrug we find many es- or brinkdorpen. These are villages laid out around a village
green and they are very common in other sandy regions of the Netherlands
like Salland, Twente, the Achterhoek and the Groningse Westerwolde to the east of the Honds-
rug.
Dwingeloo, a typical brinkdorp
Typical examples of esdorpen in Drenthe are Dwingeloo, Orvelte and Zuidlaren, The towns of
Assen, Emmen and Groningen were also originally esdorpen.
Common features:
a brink
The green originally lay at the edge of the village (compare the word brink in the English
word expression on the brink = on the edge). It was where the sheep and cattle were
brought together in the morning and evening. People planted oak and poplar trees around
the green for use as building materials. As the village grew around it, the green came to lie
in the middle of the community. Markets began to be held there and the green became
the heart of the village. The green and the field (or es) were held in common ownership by
the community or gelanders.
20
An es
The es was a communal field. It often lay a little higher than the village, sometimes be-
cause of the method of fertilising the field but sometimes because slightly higher ground
was chosen for it.
A stream
Hay was generally grown in stream valleys as winter feed for cattle. Along the stream lay
madelanden (English ‗meadows‘) which were grazed in common by cattle. The wetter hay-
growing areas were mown once a year.
Heath fields
Here the sheep belonging to the community were watched over by the village shepherd.
The close relationship between village and field is recalled in many names, such as
Dwingelderveld (the field of Dwingeloo, now a national park) and Orvelterveld (the field
of Orvelte) which is now an agricultural area with new farmhouses).
Farmhouses
Another characteristic feature of es- and brinkdorpen is that the farmhouses all stand to-
gether in the village.
21
Borger-Odoorn
The village of Borger forms part of the district of Borger-Odoorn, which consists of 25 villages with a total
population of around 26,000. An area rich in history, it was first settled by the Hunebed builders 5,000
years ago, and indeed the district boasts 18 hunebeds. But in contrast to its long history, the district is
also home to the world’s largest radio telescope, opened by Queen Beatrix on 11 June 2010.
The district of Borger-Odoorn lies partly on the Hondsrug and partly on lower-lying land along its edges. As
a result the 25 villages are scattered over two distinct types of landscape – the raised sandy ridge of the
Hondsrug and a lower-lying area that once consisted of peatbogs.
The differences between these two historic landscapes can still be seen quite clearly today. In the sandy
area villages began to appear in the early Middle Ages. These were mainly esdorps, distinguished by a
raised communal field and surrounded by heathland where the sheep grazed. Many of these have hardly
changed over the centuries – the local breed of sheep still graze in the fields, and villages contain many
splendid old farmhouses in the typical ‗Saxon boerderij‘ style. Over the centuries areas of drifting sand
developed next to many villages, and the last remaining active area of drifting sand can still be admired
by the village of Drouwen. This is now an archaeological monument.
People living in the peat areas between the 17th and 19th centuries did not find
life so easy. Thousands lived in poverty scraping a poor living by digging peat
out of the boggy wilderness. Through the hard work of these peat workers the
landscape in this area was transformed into an endless empty space but also
a fertile agricultural area, criss-crossed by a network of dead straight canals.
The use of peat for fuel spread rapidly and these canals were originally dug not
mainly for irrigation but to transport the peat to the port of Groningen and
other parts of the country.
Very quickly workers‘ houses sprang up along these canals, together with the
essential small shops and also imposing villas owned by the wealthier families
who had profited most from the peat. There was also a marked difference in wealth between the
residents of the peat villages and those living in the sandy areas. There, sturdy farmhouses were built,
while the peat workers often lived in plaggenhutten - huts made from stacked up turfs of peat.
Development of these so-called peat colonies often resulted in ribbon development of towns and villages
straggling along the canals, often only consisting of a single long street. One good example is
Valthemond, which developed from two streets which ran alongside each other with a canal on both
sides. This grew into a single village, 12 kilometers long, with around 3,000 inhabitants.
Alongside its impressive history, Borger-Odoorn can also take pride in a very different and very modern
enterprise. LOFAR, which stands for Low Frequency Array, is a major international scientific project de-
signed to explore the universe. The world‘s largest telescope consists of thousands of small antenna all
receiving signals from space. The centre of the project lies in a 300 ha area of magnificent woodland
between the villages of Exloo and Drouwen in Drenthe. This consists of large numbers of antenna standing in
fields by the River Hunze.
The LOFAR project was developed by the ASTRON Astronomic Research Institute who expect this giant
telescope to reveal new insights into the origins of the universe.
22
City of Groningen
Groningen grew up on the northernmost spur of the
Hondsrug. The earliest written record referring to ‗Villa
Cruoninga‘ dates from 1040 but this shows clearly that
the town was already very old. The earliest archaeologi-
cal finds from within the town have been dated by the
C-14 Method to around 3,950-3,720 BC. An unbroken
line of continuous occupation can be traced from the 3rd
century. The town probably grew from two central cores,
one around today‘s Martini Church and the other be-
tween the Zuiderdiep and the Verbindingskanaal, which
is the location of the Groninger Museum.
Middle Ages
The document of 1040 refers to a gift of goods and
rights from the German Kaiser to the church in Utrecht.
Prior to that, the entire imperial gift had been given to
the abbey at Werden in Germany.
Groningen must already have had a market serving the surrounding area by 1040. Ar-
chaeological investigations have found that the oldest church, the Maartenskerk, was
founded around 800. The gift also included the right to mint coins, which the Bishop of
Utrecht certainly did.
By the Middle Ages Groningen was no longer an esdorp but an important trading centre.
Its favourable location on the border between Drenthe and Friesland was of great value.
Today, Groningen is first and foremost a university city with around 50,000 students, of
whom around 30,000 live in the city. As well as having a great variety of trade and
industry, Groningen is recognised as the cultural centre of the Northern Netherlands
The Groninger Museum
23
Cycle ride
Route description
This cycle ride takes us through a varied landscape of fields, woods, heathland, higher ground
and stream valleys. We shall pass a number of archaeological monuments although their imme-
diate surroundings have often been damaged by land reclamation and reorganisation in the 20th
century.
Starting at the Hunebedcentrum, we cycle along the Bronnegerstraat in the direction of Bron-
neger and then turn left onto the Steenakkersweg which quickly becomes a cycle path. After
about 500 meters we pass burial mounds on both sides of the path. Soon we reach five hune-
beds very close together, numbers D21 – D25.
By road marker 24899 we turn right in the direction of Drouwen, where we turn left on the
Hoofdstraat and after a further 120 meters left into Schoolstraat. A right turn takes us into the
Borgerderstraat and then a left turn into Steenhopenweg. This brings us to two more hunebeds,
D19 and D20.
Riding back along the Steenhopenweg we turn left onto Gasselterstraat and then after 130 me-
ters right into Markeweg. After a further 370 meters we turn right on the Bosweg and after 50
meters sharp left into Alinghoek. This brings us to Restaurant Alinghoek where the bus will col-
lect us. If there is time, we can also take a short walk into the woods, sandy ridges and heath-
land of the Drouwenerzand nature area.
Background Information
It happened about 5,400 years ago – groups of farmers wrenched enormous rocks out of the
clay soil of the Hondsrug, carried them away and used them to build tombs for the dead. These
tombs can still be seen today. They are older than the Greek temples, older than Stonehenge,
24
older than the Sphinx and the pyramids. They are the hunebeds and today we‘ll be seeing a
number of them. There are 11 hunebeds in the Borger area, including the largest in the Nether-
lands, which stands next to the Hunebedcentrum. The rocks used to build these monuments
came originally from Scandinavia, carried here by glaciers during the last but one Ice Age.
The hunebeds were built by the Funnel Beaker people (Dutch Trechterbekercultuur or TRB). They
are named after the distinctive shape of the pots which they made, with a top narrowing down-
wards like a funnel. They were the first people in the Northern Netherlands to settle in one place
and begin farming and cattle breeding.
A hunebed is a tomb, or rather the stone skeleton of a tomb. The space between the great
stones, which is all we now see, were once filled with smaller flat stones. Much off the structure
was covered with turf and sand, making it look originally like a flat mound with an entrance on
one side. It is not entirely clear how the hunebeds were built, but experiments have shown that
even rocks weighing several tons could be moved and stacked on top of each other by men us-
ing levers, rollers and sleds.
A hunebed was used for centuries by the community to bury the remains of their dead. It is not
known whether the whole corpse was buried or only the skeleton and a few bones. In hunebeds
D19 and D20, which we‘ll see today, remains of bone and enamel from teeth were found as well
as earthenware pots, which may have been filled with food and drink. Large numbers of these
have been excavated (around 400 pieces in D19) albeit in fragments. Not only funnel beakers
were found but also other shapes, such as buckets and bowls. Most of them were decorated
with incised patterns which had been scratched into the half-dry clay and these incisions were
sometimes filled with a white paste made from ground bones. The dead were also provided with
implements and jewellery. Six pieces of copper found in the D20 hunebed, together with others
in hunebed D28 near Buinen, are the oldest metal objects ever found in the Netherlands.
Hunebed D21 near Bronneger
The Funnel Beaker Culture came to an end around 2,800BC or at least the pottery changed,
new objects were made and no more hunebeds were built, although they were still known and
indeed used. Most dead were now buried separately in the ground and so they were known as
the Enkelgrafcultuur or Single Grave Culture. This culture also buried pottery with their dead and
some graves had a monument placed over them in the shape of an earth mound. This practice
25
continued for quite a long time and in the area around Borger examples from several different
periods can be seen. The oldest of these were erected by descendants of the hunebed builders.
During the Bronze Age the dead were also placed in burial mounds but now these were built
from layers of turf and were often surrounded by ditches or stone circles. These usually served
as family graves. From around 1,100BC bodies were cremated and frequently buried in an urn.
Rich Graves
In the Bronze Age the gap increased between rich and poor, between the powerful and those of
more modest status. This new wealth – and also the skill of the prehistoric bronze workers – can
clearly be seen in two exceptionally rich finds from Drouwen, a village which we‘ll be visiting to-
day. Two of its earlier residents are known to archaeologists as ―the princess of Drouwen‖ and
―the headman of Drouwen‖. The headman or tribal chief is the oldest and he probably lived
around 1,800BC. His grave lay under a big burial mound which was excavated in 1927, and the
finds included a bronze sword, axe and razor, a whetstone, nine flint arrowheads and two spirals
of gold thread. Sadly, the mound has since disappeared.
This was found in hunebed D19
The ―princess‖ lived around 800BC or about 1,000 years later than the headman. Her grave it-
self had disappeared and her possessions were found lying in a ditch. These consisted of 23
bronze objects including armbands, a large cloak pin and a wide shallow bowl, an unusual orna-
ment which was made in Scandinavia. The finds from both graves can be seen in the Drents Mu-
seum in Assen. Unfortunately the museum is closed until November for an extensive rebuilding
programme.
26
Bus Tour
Our journey from Borger to Groningen starts on the N34, the main road which runs from North to
South through the middle of Drenthe. This may not sound very exciting but in fact the entire road
lies on the Hondsrug, so it follows the route of paths marked out first by the Hunebed builders and
later by medieval cart-tracks. Unfortunately, little of this history can be seen today unless you have
a good imagination.
So we will soon leave this main road and travel through some more interesting villages instead. Our
route also takes us past one of the largest archaeological sites in the country, along an ancient
river valley and past one of Holland‘s mountains. Along the sides of the road you may see large
boulders, often used to mark farm entrances. Some of these may have been stolen long ago from
hunebeds which have now disappeared as a result, but others have been turned up through the
centuries by ploughing.
The first village, Anloo, is one of the oldest. In fact the church in the centre is the oldest monument
in Drenthe after the hunebeds. Roman pottery from the 2nd and 3rd centuries has also been found
here. Anloo is a typical Drenthe esdorp village with a compact centre consisting mainly of a group
of thatched farmhouses with barns, a church and two pub-restaurants. The present church building
dates from before 1100 although there were probably wooden churches on the site before that.
The tower was not added until 1895. Just after the church in a field on the right you will see a tall
pole with a wheel on top – this is placed here to attract storks to build a nest on top. Storks breed
in this area and can often be seen in fields throughout the summer months.
Next on our right is an area of wooded heathland called the Kniphorstbos, which is known as ‗the
Pompeii of Drenthe‘. This Archaeological Reserve contains hundreds of Stone Age, Bronze Age and
later remains including burial mounds, two hunebeds, traces of Celtic Fields and medieval cart
tracks. This small area contains 14 National Monuments and 42 Sites of Archaeological Interest.
Holland is of course famous for its canals but here in Drenthe there are also a few small natural
rivers. One of these is the Drenthe Aa, and it is part of a natural river system which has been
successfully restored and is now protected as an important natural and historic feature of the
landscape.
Unlike canals, Holland is not famous for its mountains, but the Kymmelsberg is still quite a hill. In
the 16th century this was the point where the road from Coevorden to Groningen crossed the
East-West road from Bremen in Germany to Amsterdam. The dry sandy ground was worn away by
the heavy traffic of carts on the road and the loose sand was then shaped by the wind into this hill.
The most distinctive building in the next village, Westlaren, is the Noorder Sanatorium, known as
The Blue Pavilion. Built in 1935 as a sanatorium or rest home for patients suffering from nervous
diseases, this is now a centre for bio-medical research. However, that company is planning to move
out and the future of the listed building is uncertain. Offices perhaps, or apartments or maybe even
a hotel.
27
Zuidlaren is a beautiful Drenthe village which has several ‗brinks‘ or stands of trees along the main
road through the centre. It looks very peaceful but every year on the 3rd Tuesday in October about
150,000 visitors come to see the annual Paardemarkt or Horse Fair. This is the oldest in
Europe, known to be at least 800 years old. It is also the largest, with around 1,000 horses and
ponies being sold. During the market, the main street is lined with hundreds of stalls selling all
kinds of goods and there is also a funfair and an all-night party. By the main brink is a bronze
statue of a horse and two dealers, the men slapping hands in the traditional method of bargaining.
The province of Drenthe is a popular holiday area, particularly for Dutch people wanting to escape
from the big cities like Amsterdam and Rotterdam for some peace and quiet. Zuidlaren is one of
the busiest tourist centres because of the Zuidlaardermeer, a natural lake of 540 Ha formed about
5,000 years ago. There are many campsites and bungalow parks catering for visitors cycling,
walking, horse-riding or sailing on the lake. As well as the recreational facilities, much of the area
around the lake is a protected nature reserve for birds and animals. Two-thirds of the area of the
lake lies over the border from Drenthe in the province of Groningen.
Midlaren is a small village which can boast two hunebeds, while Noordlaren is another typical
esdorp village with a 12th century church and the only hunebed in the province of Groningen.
Glimmen looks modern but it is another ancient place which had two hunebeds, both now
disappeared, and a castle which was destroyed in the 13th century. Here we begin to see the
influence of the city of Groningen with many suburban houses and imposing villas.
This is even more visible in Haren, which is really a commuter town and indeed has been for over
300 years. It was in the 17th century that wealthy citizens of Groningen began to build themselves
summer houses here on the Hondsrug, and the main road is lined with many fine large buildings.
Most of these date from the 19th and early 20th centuries, some of them are now offices but many
are still family homes. The distinctive and varied styles of the architect-designed homes are very
impressive.
One of the finest buildings is the Landgoed de Wolf, an early neo-classical villa built in 1892 and
completely – and sympathetically – restored in 2010. Behind the villa is the Hortus Botanicus, the
largest botanical gardens in the Netherlands. Originally founded in Groningen in 1626, and from
1691 part of the University of Groningen, the plant collection was later moved here to Haren. The
20 Ha site includes a great variety of landscapes including an English Garden, a Chinese Garden
with teahouse, an arboretum, rock garden, water garden and vegetable gardens.
The road from Haren continues without a break into the city of Groningen itself, the northern point
of the Hondsrug where we shall visit the Groninger Museum and later take a boat trip on the
canals and a walking tour around some of the historic buildings in the centre.
28
Plan of the Hunebedcentrum
--- The quickest way into the site when walking from Borger.
29
10
30
Contact information
If you need to speak to someone during the conference, you should first call the
Hunebedcentrum and then Nadine, Astrid or Harrie
Name Phone Number
Hunebedcentrum +31 599 236 374
Hein Klompmaker
Harrie Wolters
Nadine Lemmers
Astrid Bartelds
Pascalle van Riel
Marc Jacobs
31
NOTES
