1.f 19990000 ROB Artikel Koningsgraf en Urnenveld Koerheuvel

Berichten van de Rijksdienst voor het Oudheidkundig Bodemonderzoek volume 43 1998-99

R.M. VAN HEERINGEN

Burial with Rhine view: the Hallstatt situla grave on the Koerheuvel at Rhenen With appendices by J.J. Butler and I. Joosten

Dedicated to Prof. P.J.R. Modderman, on the occasion of his 8oth birthday.

Keywords: publication of rich grave, urnfield, Early Iron Age, Hallstatt, bronze situla, iron linchpins, socketed bronze axe, Rhenen, province of Utrecht, the Netherlands, 62 references

INTRODUCTION

On the northwest edge of the town of Rhenen in the province of Utrecht, a water tower with adjoining restaurant was built between 1935 and 1937. The roof garden of this restaurant provided a splendid view southwards of the river landscape of the Rhine. According to a newspaper article from 1938, layers of charcoal had been observed during the construction of the tower, and a bronze ring, fragments of bronze, burnt bones and charcoal had been found during the extension of the restaurant in 1938. Further investigation in June 1938 as a result of these archaeological finds produced the remains of one or more Harpstedt urns. The newspaper report was gradually forgotten. A new housing development plan to the west of the Koerheuvel made a rescue excavation essential in 1990 and this revealed the remains of an urnfield. In 1993 the story had an unexpected and spectacular sequel. By then the restaurant had long been demolished and the water tower discontinued in 1989. Preparations were being made to build apartments at the foot of the tower (the location had not lost its appeal as a belvedere). During the process of moving an old chestnut tree, just behind the water tower, part of a bronze axe and fragments of thin bronze sheet were found in the cavity left by the uprooted tree.

The find was immediately reported to the ROB, and was recognized as the remains of a rich grave from the Early Iron Age. An excavation

Figure i The Netherlands with the location of RhenenKoerheuvel and some other locations mentioned in the text. The ice-pushed ridge complex, situated in the central Netherlands, is shaded light grey.

followed in November 1993 and as much evidence as possible was collected. In this article the finds and the excavation are discussed and contextualized. The analysis of the find material shows that a clear archaeological tale can be told about the belvedere at Rhenen. This elevated site served as the last restingplace of a local chieftain from the 7th century BC. As a result, this grave belongs to a prominent group of 'rich' graves in the eastern part of the Dutch river area.

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445-

440-

Figure 2 The southwest spur of the ice-pushed ridge (Utrechtse Heuvelrug). Legend: a watercourses; b ice-pushed ridge with contour lines in m NAP; c villsges (regulsrly broken line) and municipsl boundsry of the municipality of Rhenen (irregulsrly broken line); d tumuli (Neolithic/Early and Middle Bronze Age; area distribution see text); e Rhenen-Koerheuvel urnfield with chieftain's grave; f * urnfield (Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age), • grsve/cemetery (Middle or Lste Iron Age), + Celtic field; A-H sites discussed in the text.

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R.M. VAN HEERINGEN / Burial with Rhine view: the Hallstatt situla grave on the Koerheuvel at Rhenen

THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS

The Koerheuvel at Rhenen is situated on one of the highest points of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug - c. 51 m NAP - in the centre of the Netherlands (figs. 1-2). The subsoil consists of gravelly non-morainic ice-pushed sand. The ridge of hills forms the west edge of the glacial basin which is now the Gelderse Vallei. This basin developed under influence of the pressure of land ice during the Saalian (200 000-150 ooo years ago). The front of the ice-pushed ridge has been eroded by the Rhine. The east edge of the basin lies near the towns of Wageningen and Ede. The striking position also explains the toponym Koerheuvel: coer or coere means vantagepoint or watchpost in Middle Dutch.1 Until just before the Second World War the area was part of the southeast foothill of the forested part of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug, where at the foot the town of Rhenen developed. The Koerheuvel area was used as a tobacco plantation, and because of its attractive location was transformed into a walking area by laying out paths and planting trees and shrubs. On topographical maps the Koerheuvel is shown as an artificial hill (fig. 33).2 The 1938 investigation In 1935 building began on a water tower cum hotel (with public restaurant) at the Koerheuvel under the direction of Ing. W. de Haas (fig. 3b). The Koerheuvel was probably levelled to prepare the site for building.

According to a newspaper article from 1938, layers of charcoal were observed during the construction of the 1 Van Iterson 1960, 46. On the east ice-pushed ridge at Wsgeningen there is also a hill called 'Koerberg'. 2 e.g. The topographical map of 1885: several burial mounds/tumuli are indicated on the map. See also among others a walking map of about 1920 (published by: C. Waiboer, Rhenen). This map also shows the 'Jodenberg' mentioned later (Rijnpost 19-06-1991; information from J.Th.M. Mom, ROB archive). The question of when these mounds were raised still remains. It could be the mound over the rich grave or equally a 19th-century belvedere. 3 The newspaper article was discovered by Edwin van Hagen in the correspondence archive of the ROB. The article bore only a date, in pencil, 1.6.1938. An identical cutting is to be found in the archive of the RMO in Leiden. It proved to be from the Algemeen Handelsblad. The literal text of the article is as follows: 'Urn find at Rhenen. During the laying of foundations for the hotel 'De Koerheuvel' at Rhenen layers of charcoal were found which are thought to be the remains of a Germanic beacon/signal-fire. During the building of an extension to the hotel a bronze ring,

tower, and during the extension of the restaurant in 1938 a bronze ring, fragments of bronze, burnt bones and charcoal were discovered.3 Further investigation by Dr Ir W.A.J. Oosting, who, as a soil scientist was attached to the Laboratory for Geology, Mineralogy and Regional Soil Science of the Landbouwhogeschool at Wageningen, produced the remains of one or more Harpstedt urns. One of the urns (a base fragment) was photographed with a picture of the water tower and restaurant.4 Between 1937 and 1940 Oosting published various short articles on the area around Rhenen. In particular, the disappearance of archaeological and cultural-historical relics still visible in the landscape caused him concern, as did the deliberate discontinuation of old toponyms which were so very important for the historical-geographical interpretation of the landscape. In one of his articles he even breaks a lance for the conservation of archaeological and historic monuments. His plea has lost none of its fervour.5 Without expressly mentioning Rhenen, he allows his imagination a slightly freer rein in an article for the general public. In it he says: 'Very important spots in the landscape were the mounds raised on high places which served as watch and signal posts, the so-called koerheuvels.

On these mounds the signal-fires were lit, enabling our inhabitants in Roman times to organize a rapid and uncomprehended mobilization of the armed forces.'6 The article forms a remarkable contrast with a scientific article which, in the same year, dealt at great length with the determination of the age of es (Plaggen soil) layers based on the soil structure of tumuli.7 fragments of bronze, burnt bones and charcoal were found. An investigation of the site under the direction of Dr Ir W. A.J. Oosting led to the discovery of Germanic urns of the Harpstedt type, named after the findspot Harpstedt in the German province of Hanover, where archaeological remains from the Bronze and Iron Age were found. The remains of a pyre were also found at the Koerheuvel.' For details on the building history of the water tower: see De Jong 1990. 4 The photograph is in the archive of the De Haas family and was published in the local newspaper (Gelders Dagblad, 20-11-1993). From correspondence present in the RMO in Leiden, it appears that Costing's collection reamined in private ownership until February 1943. A search for the collection has so far proved fruitless. 5 Oosting 19403. 6 Oosting i94Ob, 5. 7 Oosting I94OC.

Berichten van de Rijksdienst voor het Oudheidkundig Bodemonderzoek 43

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R.M. VAN HEERINGEN / Burial with Rhine view: the Hallstatt situla grave on the Koerheuvel at Rhenen

Figure 33 Section of the Topographical Map surveyed in 1885. Original scale 1:25 ooo. The site of the Koerheuvel is shown as an elevation (see srrow). On the map page several tumuli are indicated. Figure 3b Rhenen-Koerheuvel. l> Picture postcard of c. 1937: the water tower with sdjoining restaurant seen from the west. The cornfield is on the site of the urnfield; the chieftain's grave is situated under the middle tree of the three chestnut trees.

Investigations carried out as a result of this article into the finds mentioned in it have so far been unsuccessful. The 1990 investigation In connection with plans to build a new housing estate the ROB carried out a rescue excavation west of the Koerheuvel in October and November. The reason for doing so was the discovery of pottery sherds from the (Late) Iron Age.8 The site is situated on the water tower side at a height of 50.9 m NAP and in the west at 49.2 m NAP (fig. 4). The investigation yielded traces of what is probably a Late Iron Age settlement. Scattered over the site, cremation graves from the Late Bronze Age and/or Early Iron Age were found at eight spots. These were all cremation burials, some of which with (the remains of) an urn (fig. 5).9 The graves were directly below the topsoil and had been damaged by ploughing (fig. 6a, b). They represent the remains of an urnfield. Circular ditches were not observed. It should be noted that in view of the depth of the central burials circular ditches had apparently never existed. The distance between the graves furthest apart is 160 m. Of the urns shown, the decorated biconical urn belongs to the Late Bronze Age (Ha B); the other two date from the Early Iron Age. 8 JROB 1991, 174; Van Tent 1997. 9 In December 1998, the cremations could not be traced in the finds depot and could not, therefore, be examined for this article.

The layout of the cemetery, with its large open spaces between the individual burials, reminds us of the urnfield at Beegden, which was excavated in 1986/7.10 The discovery of the chieftain's grave in 1993 During the conversion of the water tower into an apartment block, a chestnut tree was moved several metres west of the tower amid great public interest on 28 October 1993 (see fig. 3b). In the cavity left by the roots of the tree part of a bronze axe and a number of bronze fragments were found by A. van Middelkoop, a teacher at the neighbouring Ebenhaezer School and M. Prosman, one of his pupils. The following day the bronze objects were shown to the Rhenen amateur archaeologist J.Th.M. Mom. He immediately went to take a closer look at the spot and with his metal detector collected even more bronze fragments from the soil which had been thrown up. On November 2 he reported the find, via E.A.N. van Hagen, to provincial archaeologist S.G. van Dockum of the ROB and drew up an eyewitness report." The finds were handed over by the finders to the province of Utrecht and are now - on long-term loan - in Het Rondeel museum at Rhenen.

10 Roymans 19993. 11 J.Th.M. Mom, 30 November 1993.

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441.90 -

441.85 -

441.80 -

50 m.

441.75 -

167.00

<§>' 167.05

Figure 4 The 1990 and 1993 archseologicsl investigstions. Legend: a former water tower; b locstion excsvstion trenches in 1990, with position of the graves (1-8), and an uninvestigated barrow (9 Jodenberg); c locstion excavation trenches 1993, with position of bronze finds from the chieftain's grave and sections drawn in thick line.

The 1993 investigation As far as site conditions and weather (frost) would allow, trenches were dug on 24 November 1993 by the ROB in three directions starting from the spot where the metal fragments were discovered.12 In addition, the soil at the places which would be disturbed by building was examined layer by layer (fig. 4), but this did not provide much new information.

12 ROB-findspot code 39E-338z (167.145/441.797); JROB 1993, 164-5; Vsn Dockum 1997, 58-9. 74

167.10

167.15

The undisturbed profile of the site can be described from the surface level as follows: 0-75 cm, raised soil; 75-105 cm (Aai), sod cover brownish-black, coarse sandy 5-6% humous (slightly clayey); 105-115 cm (Aa2), transition layer sod cover to moderpodzol B, 3-4% humous, lower limit undulating; 115-125 cm (Bw), erosion moderpodzol; 125-140 cm (BC), transition B-C, very gradual; 140 cm and deeper, pushed river sand (Saalian), with bands of iron and fine sand secondarily washed in. The site had a large number of disturbances probably partly caused by trenches from the Second World War. The cavity from which the bronze finds came was documented, however (fig. 7). It had a more or less flat base at a depth of 50.74 m NAP. The pit was 70 cm wide and preserved to a level of 60 cm. Above it there was a sub-recent disturbance at about r m up to the surface level (52.40 m NAP). At the bottom of the pit which was filled with reddish-brown sand, a black spot revealed

R.M. VAN HEERINGEN / Burial with Rhine view: the Hallstatt situla grave on the Koerheuvel at Rhenen

then ground level, with a depth of at least 60 cm. The pit had apparently been disturbed before (in 1938?). One indication for this is that during the restoration of the situla it appeared that the greater part of the side and base of the situla were missing (fig. 8). The contents of the bucket are therefore incomplete, and may almost certainly be supplemented by the finds mentioned in the newspaper article referred to above.13 No circular ditch was found around the deposition spot. Because of the varying depths of the sub-recent disturbances it cannot be stated with absolute certainty that there never was a circular ditch there. During the follow-up investigation of the chieftain's grave at Oss in 1997, it was observed that the central pit was deeper than the circular ditch.14 It should be noted that no ditches were observed at the cremation graves of the Koerheuvel urnfield either. Although structureless cremation graves in urnfields are not an uncommon phenomenon, cemeteries without circular ditches are not frequently found in the Niederrheinische Grabhugelkultur (NGK) area. Examples are Hardenberg-Marienberg and recently Nijmegen-Oosterhout.15 For the time being, though, no good explanation can be given for the absence of border structures in the urnfield and chieftain's grave of Rhenen.

As far as can be concluded on the basis of the limited excavation area, the situla grave appears to have been situated at the east of the cemetery, somewhat separate from the other graves.16

DESCRIPTION OF THE FINDS FROM 1993

the original position of the metal finds. On the basis of this observation it may be stated that the deposition took place in a pit which must have been dug at the

The find material collected in 1993 includes the following ten objects which may be described as follows: 1 bronze situla (incomplete); 2 socketed bronze axe (incomplete, upper part); 3 bronze hemispherical ring-footed knob; 4 bronze spherical fitting; 5 iron buckle (complete); 6 iron buckle (fragment); 7 cemented object (A) with two iron linchpins (not

13 One explanation for the fact that no cremation remains were observed in 1993 may be that the cloth(?) covering of the cremation remains W3S still fsirly sturdy and wss pulled apart in 1938 some distance from the deposition. 14 See for the follow-up investigstion of the site: Fokkens 1997.

15 Hardenberg-Marienberg: Verlinde 1985, 206-8; NijmegenOosterhout: Van den Broeke 1999, 28; see also: Hessing 1989, 311. 16 Compare the discussion on the other chieftains' graves in the Netherlsnds (Fontijn I996c, 84).

Figure 5 Three urns from the urnfield, scale 1:4 (1990 investigation).

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Figure 6 The position of two urns during the 1990 excavation. 76

R.M. VAN HEERINGEN / Burial with Rhine view: the Hallstatt situla grave on the Koerheuvel at Rhenen

Figure 7 The pit from which the bronze remains originated. Photograph J.Th.M. Mom, Rhenen.

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complete) and two bronze plates and a separate ring (not complete); 8 cemented object (B) with an iron linchpin (not complete) and 5 separate rings; 9 cemented object (C) with fragments of nave fittings (?) (not complete); 10 cemented object (D) with fragments of nave fittings (?) (not complete). i Situla (figs. 8-9) The situla had disintegrated into c. 500 fragments due to soil pressure and corrosion and all these were fitted together again, glued and completed in the restoration workshop of the ROB.17 Many fragments no longer had their original structure of the hammered copper alloy (varying in thickness from 0.2 to 0.6 mm). This had been transformed into corrosion products. The bucket is incomplete: the upper part has been best preserved, while virtually nothing was left of the base. The height after reconstruction is 44 cm, and the greatest diameter is 46 cm. The construction of the situla can be described as follows. The base consists of a plate of bronze sheet with a diameter of 27 cm with a raised edge c. 1.8 cm in

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height. The body of the bucket consists of two thin bronze plates resting on the base plate and attached to it with c. 30 rivets.18 The body, shoulder, neck and raised edge are hammered out of one piece of metal. Both parts are riveted together with 12 rivets (with one on the shoulder and one on the neck). The heads of the rivets are on the inside and the nails carefully hammered out on the outside. The squat shoulder has two ribs, the rim is rounded outward around a core of bronze or copper wire (thickness of wire c. 6 mm). The handles are set on the exact spot where both body halves are joined together. They are hammered from a single plate-shaped piece of bronze (probably originally c. 3-4 mm thick). The bronze ring must have been fitted before the horizontal attachment lips were hammered out. The lower part of the handle is attached to the body of the situla with two rivets. The heads of the rivets are on the inside and a square piece of thin bronze sheet has been inserted as a reinforcement. The 17 Meijers 1998. 18 This is an estimate. In only one place was it possible to measure the distance between three rivets ('heart to heart': 2.9 cm). 77

Figure 8 The bronze situla, during and after restoration (1993 investigation).

attachment plate is decorated with three hammered out spheres resembling rivets and a circle has been chased around the central one. The uppermost place of attachment is against the inside of the neck and is riveted with eight rivets (the heads on the inside). In addition, on both ends of the attachment plate there is a 'lip' which has been hammered outward over the edge, and each of these is fixed with a rivet, the head of which is on the inside. The cast bronze handle-rings have a square crosssection. Both rings have a thickening indicating the location of the runner. The handles are formed in such a way that the rings when 'at rest' hang freely. When the rings are pulled, they fix themselves as a result of their angular shape at a certain position (65°) between handle and rim. The thickness of the handles, their extremely firm attachment and the rings which lock at an angle make it almost certain that the handles were functional and did not serve purely as decoration, as has been

R.M. VAN HEERINGEN / Burial with Rhine view: the Hallstatt situla grave on the Koerheuvel at Rhenen

Figure 9 Reconstruction drawing of the situla, scale 1:4.

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suggested in the literature. The situla was apparently hung up during use (perhaps to prepare a hot drink?). On the body there are at least five cracks or holes which had been repaired with thin bronze sheet. The largest of these, with ten rivets, is on the wall just above the base. Two others with four rivets are in the lower part, at the exact transition from body to shoulder. There is one single rivet (without a bronze plate) on the shoulder. There is also a thin strip of bronze plate with four rivets

on the inside against the rim. The heads of all the rivets are on the inside. Spots of rust on the inside of the base and a base fragment of the situla which was caked to one of the iron concretions make it very likely that the iron objects must have been at the bottom of the situla. Some fabric imprints on the inside of the situla lead one to suspect that the cremation was separately packed in a cloth covering and was at the top of the situla. This perhaps 79

Berichten van de Rijksdienst voor het Oudheidkundig Bodemonderzoek 43

Figure n Bronze hemispherical ring-footed knob (i); bronze spherical fitting (2); iron buckles (3-4) (1993 investigation). Scale 1:2.

Figure io Socketed bronze axe; recently broken (1993 investigation). Scale 1:2.

explains the fact that in 1938 'burnt bones' were found but not in 1993. 2 Socketed axe (fig. io) This is the upper part of a small bronze socketed axe. The mouth of the axe, thickened with a slight horizontal ridge, has a maximum outside diameter of 3.3 cm. The axe has been deformed by heat; the inner side is roughly square with sides of c. 2 cm. The loop is rather small and is under the rim. The cutting edge of the axe is no longer present; the fracture is of recent date. In addition, the fractured surface has a brittle crumbly structure, which can also be explained by secondary heating. The weight of the axe fragment is 69.4 grams. The preserved section of the concave side is too short to permit a good estimate of the length of the axe. 3 Hemispherical ring-footed rein knob (fig. n, i) The bronze artefact can be described as a spherical cast cap resting with four supports on a ring, and weighing 4.8 grams. In the literature, the bronze rein knob - in German Ringfussknopf'- is regarded as part of a horse's harness. 4 Spherical fitting (fig. n, 2) The cast bronze object weighs 1.4 grams. A runner can 80

be observed on the inside and the outside. On either side of this runner the edge is uneven because the metal there has been broken away. The object is possibly an ornament from a harness. 5-6 Iron buckles (fig. n, 3-4) This is a complete buckle and a fragment of the same type. The complete specimen weighs 9.4 grams. 7-8 Cemented objects with fragments of three linchpins (fig. 12,AandB) After cleaning and conservation, object A weighs 320 grams and object B 200 grams. Closer examination reveals that these are mostly parts of identical objects (ng. 13)The artefact in question can be described as follows. It consists of a flattened iron pin 9 mm thick which forks towards the top and forms two large loops at the flat end of the pin, then two much smaller loops at right angles to the large loops and finally ends at the fork. The cross-section of the large loops is flattened, that of the small loops is round. The diameter of the loops decreases towards the 'end'. In both small loops there is an iron ring with an external diameter of 3.5 cm and a thickness of 3 mm. On each of these rings there are three identical rings, again with the same external diameter and thickness. The object can be identified as a linchpin, a pin passed through the axle-end to keep a wheel in position (in German Achnagel; in Dutch luns). Concretion A (fig. 12, A; fig.

14,1-2) The object contains fragments of two linchpins, as described above.

R.M. VAN HEERINGEN / Burial with Rhine view: the Hallstatt situla grave on the Koerheuvel at Rhenen

Figure 12 Cemented objects of iron (A-D), with X-ray photograph of object 'A' (1993 investigation).

Also recognizable are two small fragments of a loose ring of unknown diameter (4 mm thick) and two flat pieces of thin bronze sheet (one piece more or less rectangular measuring 2 x 3 cm, and one rectangular with rounded corners and one rivet, measuring 3 x 5 cm. Concretion B (fig. 12, B; fig. 14, 3) The object contains fragments of a linchpin. Also recognizable are five 'loose' rings and/or fragments of these. On the basis of the diameters they do not, at any rate belong to the linchpin described. The object in question consists of: a complete ring and a ring fragment, with an external diameter of 4.6 cm and a thickness of 4 mm; a complete ring and a ring fragment with an external diameter of 5.4 cm and 4 mm thick; and finally a ring fragment with a diameter possibly of 6 cm and 6 mm thick. In addition, still cemented together: a flat piece of iron c. ix 2 cm and 3 mm thick, and a flat piece of bronze or iron c. 2 x 4 cm whose thickness can no longer be determined. And finally, still visible: the corroded imprints of even more rings and the impression of a small spherical object (see below: 'ring knob'). Small bronze plate with rivet (fig. 12, A) The object is cemented to the object described above. The shape is rounded rectangular with sides measuring 5 x 4 cm. One of the short sides is bent and probably original.

It is not clear whether we are dealing with a round or 19 Von Merhart 1952; Kimmig 1962/1963, 86-7. 20 Roymans 1991, 37-43. 21 Merhart 1969.

otherwise-shaped object. 9-10 Cemented objects with fragments of nave fittings (?) (fig. 12, C-D) The smallest object (C) weighs c. 18 grams, and the largest (D) c. 40 grams. Object D contains at least seven superimposed fragments of iron bands which are c. 0.3 mm thick and 0.1.3-1.5 cm wide. The bands have an asymmetrical concave cross-section. Although, due to corrosion, it is not easy to see whether the bands represent separate objects or whether they formed part of a larger whole, the latter is assumed. The diameters of the bands are almost certainly not identical but vary from 11-14 cm approximately.

PARALLELS AND DATING OF THE 1993 FINDS

i Simla The bronze bucket from Rhenen may be regarded as a late form of the Kurd type.19 Of the five bronze buckets known in the Netherlands two are also of this type. They are the situlae from Oss and Baarlo, with the Oss situla showing most similarity to the specimen discussed here.20 The basic form of the Kurd type is defined by Merhart as follows21: - it has an inverse conical body, hammered out of one or two parts; - the base consists of one plate with a raised edge; - the body plate or plates and base are attached to each other by means of rivets carefully hammered flat; - the body wall merges clearly but smoothly into the

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Figure 13 Reconstruction drawing of an iron linchpin, scale 1:2 (1993 investigation).

Figure 14 Preserved parts of three linchpins in concretion A (1-2) and concretion B (3), Scale 1:3 (1993 investigation).

short shoulder which has two or three semicircular ribs hammered outwards; - the 'handles' consist of opposed bands of thin bronze sheet on which angular, cast rings generally hang; at the place of attachment the thin bronze sheet is widened on both sides in a semicircle; the bands bear a hammered decoration. This definition is very loosely applied by Merhart, whose argument is that apart from the 'Hajdu Boszormeny' type (with threadlike handles on the shoulder) which is, according to him, partly contemporaneous, no other 'situla forms' are found in the early Hallstatt period. As a result, he has classified some very different situla forms under the 'Kurd type', such as those: without shoulder ribs, with band handles projecting well above the rim, with high and low base attachments/seams with many and few rivets, with one handle, with a round body etc. In fact, this devaluates the type into a collection of 'i/m/a-shaped' bronze buckets. This is extremely unfortunate, since it is precisely these differences in size, shape and technical construction which may be indicative of differences in age and place of manufacture or workshop. This was to 22 Zur geschichte der Situlen: Kimmig 1964, 77-90. 23 Bouloumie 1977, 10-16; Chapotat 1962.

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some extent recognized by Kimmig in 1964, but he only developed it in the case of the later situla types.22 Bouloumie classifies the Ede situla and the situlae from Baarlo and Oss, found in the Netherlands, together with the situla of Cote-Saint-Andre (Isere), found in France, with his type A, respectively Ai.23 In addition to similar specimens from Hallstatt graves, he mentions, for example, the situlae of Aichach from Bavaria, which have been published by Kossack.24 The date he gives for the group is towards the end of the 7th or at the beginning of the 6th century BC. In thorough studies Patay in 1981 and 1990 distinguishes two well-defined variants or groups within the great heterogeneous group of the 'Kurd situlae', including the situla of Kurd, after which the group is named, situated between Lake Balaton and the Danube near Budapest. Both groups, the 'Kurd Variant' and the 'Hosszupalyi Variant' are manufactured in Hungary, in periods Ha Ai and Ha A2/Ha B respectively. Moreover, the richly decorated Hajdu Boszormeny type (with threadlike handles), already identified by Merhart, also appears to come from this (period Ha B). It goes without saying that specimens of these types would have found their way westward (South German urnfield 24 Kosack 1959,186-7 and PI- 47> x -

R.M. VAN HEERINGEN / Burial with Rhine view: the Hallstatt situla grave on the Koerheuvel at Rhenen

culture). In view of the size of the Hosszupalyi variant and the presence of bronze rings in the band handles, this variant may well have served as a model for the group of situlae to which the Rhenen situla belongs. Later authors do not elaborate on the problem mentioned here and Patay's new insights.25 The above implies that the term 'Kurd type' can only be used in a very general sense, and that without any further typological divisions the distribution maps of 'Kurd situlae' have no significance in relation to the (cultural) origin, place of manufacture and date. One possibility of tracing the area of provenance and the workshop of production is to analyse the metal composition and the way in which the metal was worked. Up to now, the metal composition of only a few situlae possibly similar to Rhenen-Koerheuvel has been analysed (Rehling/Au and Cote-Saint-Andre).26 The metal composition of the Rhenen situla is discussed by I. Joosten in an appendix. This type of research can perhaps be extended in the near future to cover the other Dutch situlae and similar specimens abroad so that more insight can be obtained in the area of origin/workshop and the manufacturing method.

At the present state of knowledge, chronological significance is attributed in the literature for situlae of the 'late Kurd type' to a riveted base plate, a (high) raised part of the base plate and to shoulder ribs.27 All these characteristics point to an early Hallstatt dating (HaC). On the basis of a broad study of the literature, the detailed characteristics of the Rhenen situla correspond best to situlae in the Hallstatt area itself and the adjacent Danube basin in Bavaria, South Germany. Extremely remarkable is that the two other Dutch situlae, from Oss and Baarlo, have a great many similarities with the Rhenen situla. The Ede situla is assumed to come from the same area.28 The find from Rhenen therefore supports the previously mentioned influence of the Niederrheinische Grabhugelkultur in the centre and south of the Netherlands and Belgium in the form of imports from Bavaria and the neighbouring Alpine region.29 The finds of the situlae from Rhenen and Ede together determine the northern boundary of 25 Cf. Egg 1985, 371-3, Abb. 39; Roymans 1991, 37-43, fig. 16. 26 Jacob 1995, 99-102,155, Taf. 16; Chapotat 1962. 27 The occurrence of ribs on the shoulders can also be regarded as a common phenomenon, found in all periods, cf. Kimmig 1965, 103. 28 Kimmig 1964, 88-9. 29 Kimmig 1964, 88; Marien 1958; Roymans 1991; Van Heeringen 1992, e.g. fig. 70.

the distribution area and are therefore the only ones north of the Rhine. 2 Socketed axe The bronze socketed axe bears most resemblance to the Wesseling type.30 The axe is discussed in more detail by J.J. Butler in an appendix to this article. The Wesseling type has two variants, a squat form (Hunxe) and one which in cross-section is more rectangular and longer (Traben-Trarbach). Typical are the round bulging mouth and the very small loop under the rim.31 No closed finds of this type of axe have been encountered in Central Germany. It is dated by Kibbert on typological grounds in the late Urnfield period and the early Hallstatt period (Ha B2/3-Ha C; c. end 9'th and 8th century BC). The distribution of this type is largely restricted to the left bank of the Rhine from Karlsruhe to the Dutch border.32 Recently, a specimen was found at a cult place on the Kops Plateau in Nijmegen.33 The axe type found at Rhenen is the last to be cast in bronze; later axes are made of iron. The best associated Dutch example is an iron socketed axe from the chieftain's grave at Oss. The bronze axe of Rhenen would therefore appear to provide a good basis for the final date of this bronze axe type. Among the rich finds of tumulus 3 of Court-Saint-Etienne, Belgium, there is also a late type of bronze socketed axe.34 Absolute datings of iron axes are extremely rare.

From Lith, a C14 dating was obtained from the wood in the handle hole of one of these axes: 2540150 BP.35 Unfortunately, calibration gives a wide margin between c. 800 and 550 BC. A deposited find from Barsinghausen, Germany, contains both bronze axes of this type as well as iron axes.36 On the basis of the information now available it is certain that in the 7th century BC bronze and iron axes were in circulation at the same time. 3 Hemispherical ring-footed rein knob (in German Ringfussknopf) The exact position and function of the object in relation to the harness is unknown, but thought to be connected 30 Kibbert 1984, 126-31. 31 Butler: in preparation, DB 882. 32 Kibbert 1984, Taf. 88A. 33 Fontijn 1996, 29-45; fig. 40; Fontijn 1999. 34 Marien 1958. 35 Verwers 1988, 30-1. 36 Jacob-Friesen 1974, 424-7.

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with strap junctions or strap decoration. Numerous parallels are known from Hallstatt graves in Bavaria, the Oberpfalz in South Germany and Bohemia in Czechia.37 The number of specimens per grave may vary. This type of'ring-footed knob' is one of the artefacts designated 'rich horse gear' by Kossack. Although initially this type of artefact is dated early in Hallstatt C (Ha Ci), it is the only artefact also to occur in a later Ha C context. The dates of the other elements in the wagon grave of Rhenen-Koerheuvel support an early dating.38 4 Spherical fitting This object fits the find complex. Similar, better preserved specimens have, for example, been found in the chieftain's grave of Oss and the wagon grave of Wijchen.39 5-6 Iron buckles Both buckles can perhaps also be connected with the harness although they may also have been part of the clothing of the person cremated. 7-8 Cemented objects (A and B) with fragments of three linchpins, two small plates and rings Similar linchpins have been found among other places in wagon graves of the cemetery of Hradenin in Bohemia, Czechia.40 This cemetery is situated c. 60 kilometres east of Prague, on the Elbe. In the three richest of the total of 64 graves which are attributed to the Bylaner culture, a complete, four-wheeled, largely wooden wagon was always present. The linchpins from some of the graves (e.g.

graves 18, 28 and 46) bear great similarities to the Rhenen find. Unusual is that the small loops are horizontal and that in some cases per loop there is one ring with another two attached, or that a 'chain' of three rings hangs from the loops. Another grave in the same area (Nymburk) yielded something similar: a 'chain' of two rings. A reconstruction of the Hradenin wagons has been made by J. Filip (fig. 15). Iron parts in addition to the linchpins were the hub and rim fittings and the rim clamps. The wagons are rated by Pare as one of the oldest Hallstatt wagon types.41 He 37 Kossack 1954, 125, Kane 3, 1959. 38 Cf. Pare 1992, 140, figs. 100 and loib. 39 Resp. Modderman 1964, fig. 2, 4, and Pare 1992, Plate 5, 11-12.

40 Dvorak 1938; see also the catalogue in Pare 1992. 41 Pare 1987, 197-9: group I, Ha C. 84

makes separate mention of the typical iron goggleshaped Bohemian linchpins. An inventory of Bohemian linchpins was published in I992.42 According to Pare, axle-caps do not seem to have been used with this type of linchpin. The bronze axle-caps from Wijchen with the bronze, trident-shaped decorated linchpins are classified by Pare in his second group (date HaC2). Iron trident lichpins similar in shape, but undecorated, are frequently found in South Germany.43 The absence of iron wheel and hub fittings in Rhenen need not imply that the wagon to which the 'Bohemian' linchpins belong did not have them. Apart from the archaeological completeness, it is questionable to what extent the wagon was actually present during the cremation. Possibly other evidence will be found regarding these prestigious objects. What is more likely, though, is that various important objects which had a completely different role in society in other areas were collected in the grave according to the rites of the time.

In the cremation grave of Rhenen these may have been certain parts of the chariot which may or may not have been added to the funeral pyre or they may have been a selection of objects collected after the cremation.44 Even more difficult to answer is the question of whether the four-wheeled chariot was ever driven from Eastern Europe to the Dutch river area.45 The Bohemian linchpins and the possible remains of the hub fittings (see below) are the only elements from which the wagon type can be derived. Wagon box fittings and spoke fittings were not found in Rhenen. The most probable wagon type is type 3 after Pare, of which 28 specimens are known and most were found in South Germany and Central Bohemia. It is worth mentioning that box fittings were not found in any of these!46 Not much can be said about the dating of the loose rings. Numerous parallels are found in rich graves throughout the Hallstatt area. A whole 'set' of loose rings was also found in Oss. 9-10 Cemented objects (C and D) with fragments of nave fittings (?) It is assumed that the iron bands are the meagre remains of the nave type defined by Pare as 42 Pare 1992, 91. Cf. the remark in Piggott 1984, 160-61. 43 e.g. In the Upper Palatinate, Torbrugge 1979. 44 Pare 1987, 208; 1992,123. According to Pare a selection of chariot parts was also made in the chariot grave of Wijchen. 45 Cf. Roymans 1991, 45.

46 Pare 1992, 114.

R.M. VAN HEERINGEN / Burial with Rhine view: the Hallstatt situla grave on the Koerheuvel at Rhenen

Figure 15 Romantic reconstruction of a four-wheeled wagon from Hradenin. After Dvorak 1938, fig. i.

'Breitenbronn'. This type is found in South Germany along the Danube and in Bohemia (for the corresponding wagon-type: see above).47

THE GRAVE CONTENTS AS A WHOLE

The objects found together in Rhenen served as grave gifts for an important person. In view of the attributes, the deceased will have been male.48 This type of burial presumably expressed the status of the most elevated social class. With the exception of the axe, the separate objects are almost certainly not from the Lower Rhine area. In the southerly area of origin the objects played a part in various spheres of society at the time. The situla belonged to a drinking service in more southerly parts. The bronze objects come from a harness; the linchpins and the remains of hub fittings 47 Pare 1992, 64-71, figs. 60 and 67. 48 The deceased chieftain of Oss was probably a man of 50 at the most. It is remarkable that there does not appear to have been a sword in Rhenen.

belong to a four-wheeled wagon. The presence of a socketed axe as a grave gift is extremely unusual in the Lower Rhine area in this period, but not uncommon in the central Hallstatt area. All the objects mentioned played an important part in the burial ritual of the central Hallstatt area. The main characteristic is that the four-wheeled wagon was of great importance in the burial ritual. All the objects were imported from the Rhine area upriver as far as South Germany and the neighbouring Bohemian territory. The Giindlingen sword, dredged up from the Grift at the foot of the Grebbeberg near Rhenen fits this picture excellently. This sword belongs to the period directly preceding the realization of the chieftain's grave of RhenenKoerheuvel.49 The discovery of this chieftain's grave does not only emphasize the major regional concentration in the eastern river area of the Netherlands, but also 49 See: Roymans 1991, fig. lid. According to a personal communication by D.R. Fontijn far more bronze objects were discovered there; see also the discussion in Roymans i999b, 56.

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accentuates the relations with exotic prestige goods, about which Modderman remarked in 1964 with reference to the chieftain's grave of Oss:'... the gifts are not unique for this region but exemplify the cultural connections with Southern Germany in the 7th century B.C.'An explanation for the concentration of rich graves cannot be provided either by the Rhenen grave, so for the time being we must rely on Roymans' as yet not convincingly underpinned assumption that the wealth is connected with exchange relations through salt extraction and the production of hides.50

THE SITE OF THE CHIEFTAIN'S GRAVE IN THE FUNERARY LANDSCAPE

One can reasonably assume that the striking choice of location for the urnfield and the chieftain's grave on the Koerheuvel is not random, but that it forms a new element in a long tradition of building burial monuments on the Utrechtse Heuvelrug. For, as we shall see, the Neolithic and Bronze Age tumuli are situated at different spots in the landscape than those of the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age. Moreover, it would appear that after the Early Iron Age yet another location for the burial of the dead was chosen. Late Neolithic, Early and Middle Bronze Age In 1982 a count of the known tumuli on the ice-pushed ridge complex of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug and the Gooi area produced 173 specimens. For the entire eastern section of the ice-pushed ridge complex, situated on the Veluwe in the central Netherlands, the number was 457. For the southwest section of the latter area (the surroundings of Ede, Wageningen and Renkum, and the catchment area of the Renkum and Heelsum streams) the number roughly corresponds to that of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug and the Gooi.51 The majority of these tumuli almost certainly date from the Late 50 Roymans 1991; also Pare 1992,171; contra: Van den Broeke I9953I5I-2. 51 Modderman 1962-1963; Klok 1982, 7; 1988. 52 Modderman 1962-1963. 53 Even less is known about the locations of settlements.

See also the traces of a Middle Bronze Age settlement at Elst, 600 m south of the three westernmost tumuli in area I of the Elstereng (Hulst 1969). 54 Van Tent 1996.

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Neolithic or the Bronze Age. They are often 'multiperiod' tumuli. Very little is known about the tumuli of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug. The tumuli have almost all been discovered as a result of field observations by amateur archaeologists. A database of 'tumuli research' carried out in the past or grave gifts in museum collections, such as those of the Veluwe,52 is not available for the Utrechtse Heuvelrug area. So far, the distribution and dating of the tumuli on the ice-pushed ridge of Rhenen has not been an object of study.53 In the 19705, the tumuli were investigated and documented by the ROB.54 Several of the tumuli were subsequently restored by the ROB. It may perhaps be assumed, on the basis of Modderman's observations on the Veluwe, that in the case of the tumuli on the dry, poor sandy soil of the icepushed ridge of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug, these were mainly Bronze Age tumuli. For the preparation of the Archaeological Monuments Map of the province of Utrecht, the data base was gone through critically in I997-55 On the basis of this information and with the unpublished observations made available by E.A.N. van Hagen (ROB), the following picture can be drawn. In the municipality of Rhenen the sites are known of 34 tumuli (see fig. 2).

These are from west to east: i the Elstereng (n tumuli), 2 Prattenburgsche Bos (i tumulus), 3 Sparreboomsche berg (io tumuli), 4 Remmersteinse Bosch (3 tumuli), 5 Lijster Eng (8 tumuli), 6 the Vijverberg (i tumulus and i probable tumulus location) and 7 the Grebbeberg (i tumulus). The diameter of the tumuli varies from 6 to 22 m with an average of 14.6 m. The height is often no more than c. i m. One tumulus is elongated, and measures 45 x io m. The probable tumulus location of the Vijverberg was determined by the discovery of a complete Veluwe bell beaker in 1932. The findspot is situated on the south slope of the ice-pushed ridge, near the southwest side of the Koerheuvel.56 55 I. Reuselaars; the data are digitally available in the ROB'S ARCHls-CMA/CAA-database. 56 The bell beaker was found in January 1932 by excavation worker Van der Klift from Elst at a depth of i m below the surface. No grave gifts were reported. In 1956 a a cast was made of the beaker in the RMO. In 1978 the beaker was given on loan to the RMO by J. de Haas of Rhenen (RMO invent.no. f 1956/4, with annotation by J.D. van der Waals, Amsterdam/Groningen).

R.M. VAN HEERINGEN / Burial with Rhine view: the Hallstatt situla grave on the Koerheuvel at Rhenen

At the moment, most of the tumuli known are situated high up on the south flank of the ice-pushed ridge. There appear to be clusters separated by the dry tributary valleys (see fig. 2, the straight lines). These possibly represent the same number of settlement territories. This is in contrast to the tumuli on the EdeWageningen ice-pushed ridge which, it seems, are concentrated on the north flank. Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age The tumuli raised over the cremation graves in the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age are considerably smaller and less conspicuous. As a result, the locations of urnfields are not, or only seldom known. The information on the occurrence of urnfields from this period is scanty because hardly any archaeological investigation has been done in the Utrechtse Heuvelrug area. A brief summary of the information to date is given below. - Rhenen, Koerheuvel (fig. 2, A) Urnfield discovered in 1990; briefly discussed in this article. - Lijstereng, Reumersweg (fig. 2, B) North slope of icepushed ridge. Two tumuli situated close together.57 Fragments of two urns (and cremation remains) from the Early Iron Age were found. Both tumuli were investigated further in 1990 and 1995.58 - Lijstereng, Stadssparren (fig. 2, C) North slope of icepushed ridge. In 1924 fragments of an urn were found in a tumulus during the construction of a new mayor's house.

The body of the urn has a thick clay wash (in Dutch besmeten).59 In 1991 several tumuli were discovered in the area and investigated.60 Up to now a total of six tumuli have been discovered. - Laareind (fig. 2, D) North slope of ice-pushed ridge. Donation of several fragments of vessels to the RMO in 1912 by Mr Pijnappel from Hilversum.61

possibly also Late Iron Age were situated in a different place again from those of the preceding period. The following scanty information is known. - Stone factory Vogelenzang (fig. 2, E) Excavation by the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden in Leiden in 1942-1943.62 The urdescribed by Bursch does not have an easily dateable form, but could perhaps date from the Middle Iron Age.63 - Rhenen, Donderberg (fig. 2, F) Marne-type pottery from grave context.64 - Rhenen, Donderberg (fig. 2, G) Fragments of a pot with thick clay wash (besmeten), without decoration, found in a pit on a building site containing charcoal and cremation remains. Found by C.H. Delfin of Elst on 7 April 1979. The findspot is 50 m east of the Merovingian cemetery of Rhenen. During the excavation of this early-medieval cemetery, older, as yet undated circular ditches were observed.65 - Elst, Plantage Willem m (fig. 2, H) Pottery finds including an urn(?) with a perforated lug found by C.H. Delfin, Elst on 3 Jan. 1972.66 On this site, several tumuli, some of which possibly from the Iron Age, were investigated by C.J.C. Reuvens in 1834.6j

It would appear that graves from the Middle and

If we summarize the above information, the following picture emerges. The tumuli from the Late Neolithic, the Early and Middle Bronze Age almost all lie in clusters relatively high up on the south flank of the icepushed ridge. Three urnfields are situated on top of or close to the top on the north flank of the ice-pushed ridge. Tumuli and/or graves probably from the Middle and possibly Late Iron Age appear to be at the foot of the ice-pushed ridge, on the south side. The position of the Koerheuvel urnfield, on one of the highest points of the ice-pushed ridge, bears a striking similarity to the situation of the ice-pushed ridge of the Kops Plateau at Nijmegen. At the highest point (c. 62 m NAP) on the Kops Plateau there is an urnfield. High up on the flank there are Middle Bronze Age cemeteries and further downhill are weapon graves from the

57 Van Tent 1996, 51-2. 58 Van der Graaf et al. 1990, cat.no. 26. 59 Gemeentemuseum Het Rondeel, Rhenen, inv.no. AaoSg. 60 By P. van Tent, E.A.N. van Hagen and T. van Rooijen, including survey report of tumuli Lijstereng 22-01-1991. 61 Certainly two more or less complete urns (RMO invent, nos. f 1912/1.1 and 1.5; the first inventory number refers to a Schraghals-type urn with three impressions (in Dutch delleri); Bellen 1931.

62 Bursch 1942, espec. 60 and fig. 29, 3; F.C. Bursch, Jaarverslag RMO 1942, 7 and 1943, 5; Nieuwsbulletin KNOB Archeologisch Nieuws Jan.-Feb. 1956, col. 40. 63 cf. The much more rounded forms from Wijchen in Modderman 1960/61, 242, fig. 28. 64 Information E.A.N. van Hagen, Dec. 1998. 65 A. Wagner verbal communication, Dec. 1998; Wagner 1994. 66 jfROB 1973, 88. 67 De Boone 1964.

Middle and Late Iron Age

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Middle Iron Age.68 At Wijk bij Duurstede-De Horden the graves from the Middle Iron Age and Late Iron Age are also separated spatially from the Early Iron Age urnfield. The urnfield there was laid out on a lobe between the meander ridges, which had been chosen in the Late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age as a site for a tumulus. The graves from the 4th-ist century BC lie scattered in small groups on other parts of the meander lobe. As in Nijmegen the urnfield does not appear to have had any special appeal any more in that period.69 By analogy with the Nijmegen situation, there may have been a road running past the tumuli lengthways over the ice-pushed ridge. Due to the present state of research it is not clear yet to what extent the funerary landscape of Rhenen and that of Nijmegen corresponds to or differs from the results of Roymans' research on the sandy areas of the South Netherlands.70 Despite the profusion of findspots on the Utrechtse Heuvelrug with settlement material (mainly pottery) from the Bronze and Iron Ages, the development of the settlement pattern cannot be derived from them, since the find material is not dated precisely. For this reason a study of the pottery in this area is urgently required.

Perhaps, by analogy with the Kops Plateau, we may expect to find that the settlement belonging to the Koerheuvel cemetery was also situated in the immediate vicinity on the plateau. On the ice-pushed ridge complex of the Central Netherlands Celtic fields are found. The earliest known date from the Early Iron Age (Brongers 1976, Plate io). In the municipality of Rhenen five Celtic field complexes are known at the moment (fig. 2, *). These are situated both on top of the ice-pushed ridge and at the foot of its south flank, giving the impression that they could date either from the Early Iron Age or from the Middle and/or Late Iron Age. 68 Fontijn 19963,1996b, 1998. 69 Hessing 1989, 308-11; Hessing & Steenbeek 1990,18-20; Hessing, in prep.: 'Buried Batavians; a Study into the Burial Rituals of the Late Iron Age and Roman Period in the Dutch River Area', Amsterdam (Ph.D. thesis).

70 Roymans 1991, but see also 19990.

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SUMMARY

Closer examination of the finds, which were discovered by chance on the Koerheuvel near Rhenen in 1993, shows that we are dealing here with a rich grave from the Early Iron Age which fits well in the funerary landscape of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug. Even though we probably only have part of the grave inventory at our disposal, the funerary deposition of Rhenen-Koerheuvel is still exceptionally rich for the Netherlands. The bronze situla, the wagon parts, the horse harness fittings and the axe all belong to attributes which, in the 7th century BC, brought prestige. When we compare the grave gifts with those from more southerly parts, the wealth of the grave differs only slightly, due to the local tradition of urn cremations. The situla was repaired several times and it is questionable whether imported four-wheeled wagons were ever seen in our study area. The origin of the majority of the finds must be sought in the eastern part of South Germany and in west Czechia. The burial custom, however, is consistent with a tradition of rich chieftain's graves in the Lower Rhine. The new grave find emphasizes the concentration of these rich graves in the 7th century in the eastern river area of the Netherlands.

The geographical position on the highest point of the south flank of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug again focuses attention on the strategic position of similar rich graves in the surroundings. For example, the position of the grave at Rhenen reflects that of the grave (with situla) at Ede, situated on the east flank of the same ice-pushed ridge. The fact that two rich graves are now known north of the Rhine again accentuates the fact that the river Rhine, as well as the Meuse, formed the economic and cultural lifeline of the area, and that the territory of the local rulers in the 7th century BC was apparently concentrated on either side of this river. When we look at the urnfield on Kops Plateau at Nijmegen, situated on the 60 m-high icepushed ridge between the Rhine and the Meuse, we need not be surprised if, in the near future, there turns out to be a chieftain's grave there too.

R.M. VAN HEERINGEN / Burial with Rhine view: the Hallstatt situla grave on the Koerheuvel at Rhenen

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We are indebted to S.G. van Dockum and J.P. ter Brugge (ROB) for permission to describe and publish the find. The story could not have been written in so much detail without the generous help of E.A.N. van Hagen (ROB) and his wide knowledge of local find circumstances. A sincere word of thanks also to J.J. Butler (Groninger Instituut voor Archeologie), E. Drenth (Amersfoort), D.R. Fontijn (Faculteit Archeologie RU Leiden), W.A.M. Hessing (ROB), J.C.A. Hulst, C.P. Jefferis (Zaandam, translation),

M.C. Kosian and A.W.P.M. Fenders (ROB media productions), H.J.M. Meijers (Dep. of Conservation ROB), and M. Sijnesael (Gemeentemuseum Het Rondeel, Rhenen). Address of the author Dr R.M. van Heeringen, Rijksdienst voor het Oudheidkundig Bodemonderzoek, PO Box 1600, 3800 BP Amersfoort, the Netherlands. e-mail rheer@archis.nl

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