EEN AANTAL BIJZONDERE DRENTSE GRAFVONDSTEN UIT DE VROEGE EN MIDDEN-IJZERTIJD

Samenvatting

In the first half of this century, a number af rich, mostly imported finds were found in the Dutch province of Drenthe. These finds all date from the Early Iron Age and the beginning of the Middle Iron Age, about 700-500 BC. Similar finds are known from the centre and south of the Netherlands, northern Belgium, northwestern Germany and the Hunsrück-Eifel region. The objects here are even richer and more numerous than those found in Drenthe; a plausible explanation for this is the greater accessibility of these areas, due to rivers such as the Rhine and the Weser which flow through these territories. Because of these rivers, trade relations between the areas just mentioned and the south of Europe could easily be established and maintained besides these trade contacts, the areas in question could also play a major role in the further distribution of the trade goods farther north. In view of this, it seems probable that some of the grave goods found in Drenthe originate from southern Europe. Via the neighbouring wealthier areas such as the centre and south of the Netherlands and northwestern Germany, they would have been traded northwards to reach their final destination.