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Two weeks have passed since our new project kicked off. The Loretten site is situated right in the historial centre of Mechelen (B). Since the 19th century it was part of a larger complex owned by the Congregation of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy (Zusters van O.-L.-Vrouw van Barmhartigheid, in Mechelen a.k.a. the Loretten).
Overview Loretten site W-E, July 14th
The convent has been deserted for many years, but real estate developers are now planning to breath new life into it by dividing the complex into separate houses and apartements, and constructing an underground parking garage in its backyard. Before the building and renovation works can begin, the municipal archaeology service is conducting a six months archaeological dig.
No extraordinary finds at this stage. The terrain measures about 800 m². My colleagues (the Loretten research team currently consists of one archaeologist, two trainees and four field technicians) have dug their way through a first layer of 19th and 20th century rubble using a crane. They hit solid brickwork foundations at a depth of about 30 cm and are now progressing much slower. Up until now they have uncovered at least four cesspits (see also Medieval Delights), the remains of a fireplace and two red ceramic tile floors, the one on top of the other.
Overview Loretten site E-W, July 14th
Meanwhile, the local media (newspapers, television…) show great interest in our project. In order to keep the public informed of what we’re doing, I’ve hung a few banners on the fencing surrounding the dig site. Later this summer we hope to show our most important finds at the Erfgoedcentrum Lamot™ (heritage centre).
Banners at entrance of Loretten site
To be continued…
In 1904, while digging a canal in order to prevent the Dyle river from flooding the city centre of Mechelen (B) time and again, workers discovered a large piece of wood at a depth of about five meters. It turned out to be the remains of a prehistoric log boat, measuring at least 8.40 m in length. As a result an archaeological excavation was organized by baron de Loë, director of the Nationale Dienst voor Opgravingen/Service National des Fouilles.
Along with it the remains of a Late Iron Age settlement were found: the remains of at least five huts (pile dwellings), made from different kinds of wood and constructed on a sort of artificial island, objects carved from deer horn, metal tools (a fishhook and a horse’s harness), part of a wooden ladder, amber beads, a fragment of a grindstone and fragmented pottery resembling the La Tène vessels with sharp angles from the Marne region, France. Also human remains were found (at least five individuals), as were lots of animal bones (dog, pig, wild boar, goat, sheep, cow and horse).
Most of the organic objects were extremely well preserved thanks to the wet conditions provided by the marshy soil at Nekkerspoel, the little hamlet just outside of the Mechelen city centre were they were found. The log boat was taken to the Koninklijke Musea voor Kunst en Geschiedenis/Musées Royaux d’Art et d’Histoire (Royal Museums for Art and History) in Brussels (B) where it was dried, treated with beeswax in order to conserve it and put on display.
Now, more than a century has passed and the boat is still kept at the museum, but it’s no longer on display because of its poor state. However, the Mechelen board of mayor and aldermen has decided that the city would provide the necessary funds to restore the boat using 21th century know-how, but only if an arrangement could be made to display it in the city’s museum.
The municipal archaeology service was appointed the task of bringing back the Nekkerspoel log boat to its place of origin. You can follow the progress of its homecoming on this blog. So far, in the company of the curator we’ve paid a visit to the museum’s storage facilities where the boat is kept, we sent an official request to the director of the KMKG/MRAH and we are setting up a project team of key people that will make the necessary arrangements, covering paperwork, restoration, transport, display and publicity.
To be continued…
The Nekkerspoel Log Boat in 1904
