HET ARCHEOLOGISCH ONDERZOEK VAN HET 'BLOKHUIS' TE STAVOREN, GEM. NIJEFURD (FR.)

Samenvatting

In the spring of 1996 an excavation took place at a former football ground in Stavoren (muni­cipality of Nijefurd). The earliest finds dated from the 12th and 13th cenfuries AD and con­sisted of large timber structures, representing houses, storage buildings and jetties. During this period Stavoren was a large and wealthy town with an economy based on trade. In the 14th and 15th centuries, trade was substituted by agricultural activities and the size of the town decreased. The 16th century was repre­senled by an impressive fortification, built on behalf of Emperor Charles V in the year 1522. This blokhuis had a rectangular plan with round towers placed at the corners. It measured 80 x 80 m and was surrounded by a moat. A large horseshoe-shaped entrance in the eastern wall led to a large inner courtyard paved with cobbles. West of the entrance stood a separate building for storing ammunition. From histori­cal sources it is known that the blokhuis was dismantled around 1580, and archeological finds seem to confirm this. After the demolition of the blokhuis the site was only used extensive­ly, until it became uninhabited in the 18th cen­tury. This resulted in excellent preservation of the site.