Archaeology

And to think that in 1854, this collection still fitted into one cupboard! That cupboard was in the Provincial Museum of Antiquities in the Provincial Building. When Professor Van Griffen took office in 1916, the collection received a major boost. He starts researching and excavating Drenthe's archaeological treasures for the province of Drenthe. The objects are placed in the Provincial Museum, which later becomes the Drents Museum. The result is one of the most important archaeological collections in Northern Europe.

With the objects in the archaeological collection we tell stories about people from the past. About their daily lives and religion, their relationship with each other and the landscape. How did the dolmen builders commemorate? Who were the burial mounds made for? How did people learn to live with the changing landscape and climate? In this way we can learn to understand not only the distant past, but also our place in current society and the future. How do we commemorate when a loved one dies? Who are your heroes? And how do we treat the earth? The archeology collection not only gives you a view of Drenthe, but also of the world.

For example, the hand axe from Anderen tells the story of the time when Neanderthals lived in Drenthe (c. 130,000-35,000 BC). Finds from the Drenthe dolmens (3500-3300 BC) provide us with answers to the question of how the first farmers lived and buried their loved ones. The grave goods from the burial mound in Drouwen tell us more about the status differences in the Bronze Age (c. 2000-800 BC). 

The many bog finds from the Iron Age, including the Yde girl, provide insight into the prehistoric religious world (c. 750-12 BC). And the gold treasures of Beilen, Zeegse and Nietap from the Roman period (12 BC-450 AD) show that people in Drenthe also had contacts far beyond the region. The rich attire of the early medieval Princess of Zweeloo is another good example. 

The archaeological collection also contains several medieval objects (c. 450-1500 AD). They provide insight into daily life and tell more about important events, such as the battle between the bishop of Utrecht and the viscount of Coevorden.

What makes our collection so special are in particular the many objects made of fragile organic material from the Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman era and the Middle Ages. Top items include the oldest boat in the world from Pesse and the oldest wooden wheels in Western Europe.