Veldkarteringen in het terpengebied: een pilot in noordelijk Westergo

Samenvatting

Surveys in the dwelling mound area: a pilot in northern Westergo. This article presents the aims and first results of a pilot project focusing on surveys in the terp region. The main aim of the project is using surveys to get to know more about the role of the coastal area of Northern Netherlands in Early Medieval trade and exchange networks. Through the systematic collection and detailed investigation of pottery sherds on terps, more information can be obtained regarding the ratio between import and indigenous pottery throughout this period. The pottery analysis from surveys on two terps near Dongjum seem to confirm the hypothesis that Northern Westergo played an important role in the Early medieval exchange and trade network. Since compiling a large dataset with mutually comparable data from surveys and excavations is an important goal for the continuation of the project, the article ends with a discussion in which some critical questions are raised concerning comparing survey results s with results from excavations.