Articles

Wijster. A native village beyond the imperial frontier. 150-425 A.D.

Authors

  • W.A. van Es

Abstract

(p. 29)

Until recently a small fen could be seen at a distance of about 1.5 km. to the north of the charming village of Wijster, municipality of Beilen, in central Drente. The fen was surrounded by a low narrow sand ridge, the eastern side of which bordered upon the extreme north-west corner of the Noorder Es, a complex pf fields belonging to Wijster. This north-western part of the Es is a separate ridge running approximately east-west which is cut by the road from Beilen to Wijster; to the south-east it is bordered by the Helveen depression; its eastern end runs into the Emelange, originally an undulating terrain. The name Emelange has been taken to mean "along the Eem". Eem or Eeme is the ancient designation af the littie rivulet, which in more recent times was called the Leek. It flows along the eastern edge af the Emelange, turns from there in north-western direction and joins the Beiler Stroom at a short distance west of Beilen.

In 1926 the site attracted the attention of archaeology for the first time. Finds made in 1925 and again in 1926 by Mr. G. Stel and his sons who lived in the vicinity, persuaded Professor Dr. A.E. van Giffen to begin an excavation. The finds appeared to come from a cemetery situated immediately south af the fen, between it and a low swampy patch.

Published

1967-04-21

Issue

Section

Articles