BOG TRACKW AYS IN THE NETHERLANDS
W.A. Casparie Biologisch-Archaeologisch II/stitl/III, Grol/il/gel/, Nether/{/I/ds
ABSTRACT: This article presents an overview of the prehistoric and historicai wooden trackways and paths that have been found in the peat-bogs of the Netherlands. The description is based on the relevant information at the Biologisch-Archaeologisch Instituut. In a few cases cobble trackways are concerned. Of the 40 items dealt with 22 are certainly or most probably bog trackways or paths; 5 items are possibly bog trackways and 13 are certainly not. The oldest trackway dates from c. 2100 BC,the youngest from AD 1665. Much information, especiaIly from the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century,is very unclear. 12 trackways and paths have been studied in some detail; in most cases the function could be demonstrated. The trackways and paths described were very seldom part of a traffic system.
KEYWORDS: The Netherlands, overview,prehistoric and historicai,peat-bog, wooden trackways.
l. INTRODUCTION lands (fig. 4) and the accompanying dissection of the landscape, this is a remarkably small number. Since the beginning of the 17th century AD almost The total time spa n within which these trackways all of the raised bogs in the Netherlands' have fall is about 3700 years. disappeared as a result of peat-digging. Of the In addition to the investigations made by Kars prehistoric and historical remains present in these ten, research on the Dutch bog trackways was bogs probably only a small proportion have been carried out mainly by G.J. Landweer Jz. in the years studied and properly documented. The few written between 1880 and 1912, and by the Biologisch records dating from the 17th and 18th century Archaeologisch Instituut of the University of Gro which refer to bog finds are for the most part very ningen since 1922. Before that date the first director incomplete and inaccurate. Not until the beginning of this institute, A.E. van Giffen, had aiready of the 19th century do bog finds,notably remains of carried out research on peat-bog archaeology; since (wooden) trackways and footpaths, receive more the 1950's W. van Zeist and the present author have public attention, sometimes resulting in investiga been active in this discipline. tion. This article is intended to present an overview In Germany the investigation of wooden bog of what has become known about trackways and trackways also started in 1818; since that time footpaths in Dutch bogs, nota bly in raised bogs, research has been carried out extensively. Since seeing that fen peat and wood peat offer fewer 1950 the very wide-scale research here has been possibilities for the preservation of perishable mate undertaken by H. Hayen of the Staatliches Museum ria!. This overview is mainly concerned with woo fiir Naturkunde und Vorgeschichte in Oldenburg. den trackways, and to a lesser extent with stone The total number of wooden trackways that have tracks. been found in the bogs of Northwestern Germany is The first excavation of a (prehistoric) wooden more than 300, dating from the Middle Neolithic bog trackway in the Netherlands took place in 1818. until after the Middle Ages. There are clear indica J. W. Karsten (1819) demonstrated the existence of a tions of prehistoric traffic systems (Hayen, 1985; 12-km-Iong wooden trackway in the Bourtanger 1987). Moor,between Valthe and Ter Apel (figs 1,2). The AIso in the Scandinavian bogs remains have been excavation of part of a prehistoric wooden track found of (prehistoric) trackways. Here far less way in the Smilde bogs (fig. 3) to the south of Assen, systematic research has been carried out compared in 1983, is the most recent field activity (Casparie, with Germany. 1985). In this per iod of 165 years the presence of In the peat-bog area of the Somerset Levels in about 40 (wooden) trackways and footpaths in the Southwestern. England a large-scale research pro bogs has been demonstrated or presumed. In view ject . has been under way since 1970, under the of the great expansion of raised bog in the Nether- direction of J.M. Coles of the Department of
35 36 W.A. CASPARIE
..,....., • :4, f . }: � . . .� I, �_.�. I I (
Fig. l. Valtherbrug, I(Bou), excavation 1818. Trenches 1,4,5(upper row) and 9, IO and 13 (lower row), each measuring c. 3x3 m, as drawn by J. W. Karsten. From his description (1819) it can be concluded that the drawings are more or less Karsten's interpretation and not an exact reproduction of what he had found. Iron Age, c. 345 BC. I
Fig. 2. Valtherbrug, I(Bou), excava tion 1892. Photo of Mr. G.J. Land weer Jz, taken by the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden (State Museum of An tiquities) at Leiden. The first photo graphic record of a prehistoric track way in the Netherlands. Bog trackways in the Netherlands 37
Fig. 3. Smilde, I(Sm), excavation 1983. The surface-Ievel wood, arter the sandy turves had been removed. Iran Age, c. 220 Be.
Archaeology, University of Cambridge. As a result witness to the craftsmanship of the trackway bui ld of this research a clear picture has emerged of the ers. development of the trackway system which con nected the inhabited higher areas around this bog 2. OVERVIEW OF THE DUTCH PEAT-BOG region from Early Neolithic times until into the lron TRACKWAYS Age. Once there were scores of trackways and footpaths here which provided a means of com This overvlew of mainly wooden trackways is based munication over the wet low-lying land (Coles et al., on documentation collected by the B.A.I. It does 1975-1986). not give a complete account of all information; a The Irish bogs also contain many wooden track considerable proportion of the data is unreliable. In ways. B. Raftery, of the Department of Archaeo many cases there is uncertainty as to the accuracy of logy of University College Dublin, has studied a a relatively large number of reports. The unreliable number of these (1986a; 1986b; 1987). This research data were screened and rejected. For each bog is still in process. track.way as a general rule only a few references to The archaeological peat-bog research has pro the literature are included, which are intended vided information on the possibilities that were above all to provide access to more extensive available to the builders of these trackways and on information. This does not mean that the trackway the problems that they had to overcome. Ingenious concerned is discussed in the literature referred to. ly constructed trackways, involving the application Sometimes merely a few vague indications are the of numerous technological improvements, bear only source of information. 38 W.A. CASPARIE
= Q
/ ()
D it l') r--- / ,") ...' � ' -' '\ \ - , ( - .. -; - " " \ ' '-- ... ", I ...... - ... I , ''''''''1 I .. '" _ .. - .. ,'--iI , ...... ,�" " ... ,I, ...., ---l \. ... t' ... .. 4 ,.. ) � RAISED BOG ,}';. Q��/.I "·P ' D FEN PEAT 1 " "'-- - , I ) ," ,/' S 1 , I "
I" c.._ ,_, ...... , ... 1
Fig. 4. Ombrogenous peat (raised bogs) and fen peat in the Netherlands; situation of some ee nturies ago. The raised bogs have now dissappeared for the most part. Most of the fen peat has been drained. The reetangles in the figure indicate the maps af figures 6, IO, 12, 19-22, 26-31, 33. Bog trackways in the Netherlands 39
The overview has been compiled on the basis of 3. RAISED BOG, FEN PEAT: RIVER AND published and thus accessibie data derived from STREAM VALLEYS (verifiable) research and from research carried out by the B.A.I. Reports of finds that have turned out, The well-studied wooden bog trackways all lay in on doser investigation, to be unsubstantiated and raised bog; the special growth form of raised-bog unpublished in any way have been disregarded. This peat is conducive to preservation of such wooden applies, for example, to five reports of finds that trackways. Yet also in fen peat a few (wooden) have come from parts of the Bourtanger Moor since trackways have been found. In fen peat all such 1982 (pers. comm. H. Groenendijk, B.AJ.). On the trackways lay right at the top of the peat deposit, basis of the circumstances of the finds mentioned, indicating that they were constructed after the the peat-stratigraphical situation and the environ groundwater level had ceased to rise. During the mental conditions, we are convinced that in these formation of fen peat the organic material that is cases it is always natural wood in the peat that is laid on the surface is not actually preserved, on concerned. The reports concerned come from Veen account of the biological activity and the soil dam (Borgerswold). Stadskanaal (Vledderveen, mechanics in the uppermost !ayer of the peat. The near the water tower, Ter Maarsch) and Wessing (annual) fluctuations of the water level play an huizen (Mussel Aa). important role in this connection. It was not possibie to work out a homogeneous In historicai times great numbers of trackways overview of the available material. The information were laid out that crossed river and stream valleys. presented is by no means a catalogue in the strict In the lowest parts, in addition to wood stone was sense, but it presents a picture of the possibie used, notably erratic cobbles. Most of these cross trackways that have been reported and the definite ings through a river valley or stream valley cannot trackways that have been investigated. In some properly be called a bog trackway; in a few cases cases we are concerned with a trackway paved with remains of such crossings have become known as cobbles, in peat or in peaty areas. bog trackways, and they are therefore inc1uded in Much information from the 19th century and the this overview. beginning of the 20th century was inspired by the discussions on the building method, the course, the function and the possibie builders of'the trackway 4. THE INFORMATION PROVIDED known as the Valtherbrug, I(Bou). Evidently there was such a great need felt to find parallels that For each bog trackway or footpath (whether posi natural wood remains in the bog were repeatedly tively or tentatively identified as such) a brief interpreted as prehistoric or historicai trackways. In description is given, based as far as possibie on such cases the building method mentioned often information provided by the authors cited; where involves tree-trunks, brushwood, indistinctly ar possible, results of research are induded. In each ranged or laid out transversely, or longitudinally, case a few remarks are made concerning the details and observed over a short distance only. During the of the information available. Here special attention first excavation of a Dutch bog trackway, the is paid to the validity of reports of presumed Valtherbrug, in 1818, the natural wood of the fen trackways, on the basis of current views on this peat was incorrectly interpreted as a trackway topic. surface in at least 3 excavation trenches; see under The numbering of the trackways is base d on the I(Bou). Such incorrect interpretations are to a great system developed by Hayen (19S8). With this extent attributable to the lack of knowledge about system, for each trackway the serial number is bog trackways and peat stratigraphy at the time, as followed by the abbreviation, between brackets, of well as to the need that was felt to demonstrate bog the name of the bog or bog region concerned. trackways. Many of the reports of bog trackways positively identified as such by various authors in the 19th century turn out to be derived from S. THE BOG REGIONS DISTINGUISHED hearsay. As such reports were cited more and more frequently, in the course of time they often came to It is possibie to discern in the Netherlands seven acquire an air of authenticity. raised bogs or areas of bogland in which remains of Finally, it may be mentioned that until into the (wo0gen) trackways occurred or were allegedly 20th century attempts were often made to attribute found (fig. S). The most extensive raised bogs have the wood remains found to the pontes longi referred been divided into different find areas. The ab to by Tacitus in his Annales II. In the raised bogs of breviations in the figure and in the trackway the Netherlands no evidence of these has been numbering system are as follow: found. 40 W.A. CASPARIE
certain, the possibie situation is indicated by a line of small asterisks.
6. DESCRIPTION aF THE BOG TRACKWAYS
6.1. Bourtanger Moor
6.1.1. Buinen find areå (fig. 6)
XII(Bou) 'Buinerbrug'. Buinen, wooden trackway 4-5 m wide. The trackway-surface is made out of , transversely laid roundwood (fig. 7), probably 0"'- 6 Pinus; there may be a substructure of brushwood. , , The trackway is known to have extended over a I ,-_,.�,_ �_ length of at least c. 800 m; it was probably not much ...... -..J 1 longer than this. The starting point of the trackway " , was not situated on the Hondsrug, the area of high , ( .... 1 I-I I' I mineral soils that form the western margin of the -...... \ _..J -::.. ...J J • \..... " Bourtanger Moor, but rather on a fluviatile ridge to r '- - _..-, / l_..... " - 'l ,[" the east of the river the Achterste Diep. Excavation by A.E. van Giffen (1913; see also Mulder, 1912). ol1 ?<..LY-,- , ' Dating: probably Neolithic (Waterbolk, 1954). , ' I o SOkm. 1� Remarks: From the excavation drawing it can be ·'--_�_...JI ...... �{ deduced that the pattern of side-branching of the tree-trunks used as trackway surfacing was clearly Fig. 5. The bog regions and find areas distinghuished. I. Bourtanger Moor with find areas Buinen (B), Valthe (V), Emmen visible, so the side-branches must have been roughly (E) and Westerwolde (WE); 2. the bogs around the border cut off. This will have made the use of the trackway between the provinces of Drenthe and Overijssel, with find areas surfaee very difficult. The configuration of side Coevorden (Coe) and Zuidwolde (Zui); 3. Smildervenen with branches indicates perhaps the use of Pinus trunks find areas Smilde (S), Fochteloerveen (Fo) and Makkinga (Ma); 4. Drachtstervenen (Dr); 5. Engbertsdijksveen (Eng); 6. Buurser as surfacing, although the wood has not been veen (Bu); 7. Roodebeek-Sittard (Si). identified; in older reports wood from bogs is often incorrectly referred to as Pinus.
XI(Bou) 'The stonefootpath'. Buinen, stone track 1. Bourtanger Moor (Bou); find areas Buinen way 1.90-2.70 m wide. The trackway-surface (pav (B), Valthe (V), Emmen (E), Westerwolde (We). ing) consists of a layer of erratic cobbles measuring 2. The bogs around the border between the 10-20 cm (fig. 8); towards the side of the trackway provinces of Drenthe and Overijssel (D-O); find they are somewhat larger. The trackway is rein areas Coevorden (Coe), Zuidwolde (Zui). forced on each side by a row of vertical oak posts. 3. Smildervenen (Smilde bogs) (Sm); find areas The trackway may originally have had a covering Smilde (Sm), Fochteloerveen (Fochtelo bog) (Fo), layer of white sand. In a few places a substructure of Makkinga (Ma). brushwood was present; some of the cobbles lay 4. Drachtstervenen (Drachten bogs) (Dr). immediately on the peat. The trackway has a known 5. Engbertsdijksveen (Engbertsdijks bog) (Eng). length of c. 1500 m. There is a noteworthy ben d in 6. Buurserveen (Buurse bog) (Bu). its course; it possibly concerns more than one road. 7. Roodebeek-Sittard (Si). It was built from (a predecessor) of the village of The location of the bog trackways is shown in the Buinen. Excavation by A.E. van Giffen (1913; see distribution maps for each find area (figs 6, IO, 12, also Mulder , 1912). The trackway has not been 19-22, 26-31, 33). Where the course of a trackway dated. has been established with certainly, this is indicated Remarks: This trackway can be regarded as a by a continuous line. The presumed or probable means of crossing the valley (ford) of the Achterste course of part Of a trackway is indicated by a dotted Diep. It probably dates from the same period as line. In those cases where the precise situation is XXVII(Bou), i.e. late 10th/early 11th century AD unknown, asterisks are used to indicate the ap (see below). proximate position. Such cases almost always con cern smal! stretches of trackway; these are re XXVII(Bou) 'The cobble road of Bronneger' . Bron presented by the larger asterisks. If the course of a neger, trackway c. 3 m wide with various kinds of considerable length of trackway is very likely or surfacing. Over dry levees it consists of a sand Bog trackways in the Netherlands 41
1
• ...... 2 ;. . '
. .' , _ . p. l , . � - : -�-�.- . f' • .�"\:i:.!". I ZL'·dt-'{·'(J}·/jl,,�t::;e" 1��fnIlVi (;(..'- .��.. .0' . l� �.- \ 4
' , 0000000 5"
,.,.1/-"':."
Fig. 6. Buinen �ind area of the Bourtanger Moor; rectangle A of figure 4. Legend: I. course of the trackway known precisely; 2. very probable course, 3 . posslble course ofthe trackway; the presence ofthe trackway is not completely certain; 4. possibie irackway, location II1dlcated not exact,. 5. although a course IS mentIOned, there was certainly never any trackway present.
trackw�y with marking stones (erratic cobbles) on 6.1.2. Valthe find area (fig. 10) each side; a depression filled with peat has a I(Bou) 'Valtherbrug' . Valthe, wooden trackway 2.50- surfacing of Alnus brushwood, also with marking 3 m wide, ith a few noteworthy bends, probably stones on each side (fig. 9). A low, wet levee has a . � extendmg fight across the entire Bourtanger Moor surfacing of erratic cobbles measuring 5-20 cm, with between Valthe on the Hondsrug and Ter Apel in larger markmg stones present on each side. This Wes erwolde, over a length of 12 km. The surfacing stretch of trackway has ditches in the verge. On one � cons1sts of transversely la id elements, in the form of side a iimber reinforcement is present. It is possibie planks and roundwood (split or left whole)(fig. Il, that there was originally a barrier present here. The see also figs I and 2). The substructure consists of stretch of trackway with a cobble surfacing was longitudinally laid roundwood: 2 or 3 logs lying preceded by a sand track, which had been levelled parallel, at a variable distance apart. Here and there using heather turves. No separate substructure was vertical pegs are used to secure the surfacing present. The levee on the Voorste Diep had a rather material. The tre e species that have been mentioned s�bstantial sheet-piling cbnsisting of cobbles. Along as providing the building elements are Quercus, side the Voorste Diep remains have been found of a AImis, Betula, Corylus and Pinus. First excavation in (presumed) water mill. 1818 by J.W. Karsten (1819); excavation in 1892 by The trackway has a known length of at least 200 G . Landweer Jz. (1898), in 1936 by the B.A.I. (van m; its course follows a few gentie bends. It was laid J Glffe , 1938); summary article by van Zeist (1958), out between Bronneger and Buinen. Excavations by ? In whlch attention is also devoted to the trackways the B.A.r (Casparie et al., 1983). It has been dated 14 II, III, IV, V, VI, VII and VIII(Bou). C dating: to c. 1000 AD. 345±50 BC. Remarks: This trackway probably served as a The course of the trackway as given by Karsten means of crossing the valley of the Voorste Diep (1819) is incorrect; this applies nota bly to the and as a way of access to the water mill. 42 W.A. CASPARIE
Fig. 7. Buinen, XII(Bou), the wooden track, excavation 1912. The trackway has clearly been overgrown by peat on which a Pil/lis-bog forest became established. Neolithic.
Fig. 8. Buinen, XI(Bou), the stone footpath, excavation 1912. Medieval. Bog trackways in th e Netherlands 43
Fig. 9. Bronneger, the cobble road, XXVlI(Bou), excavation 1978. In the fo reground, between the marking sto nes, the trackway-surface consists of brushwood of AIli/Is, on a deposit of fe n peal. Medieval, c. AD 1000.
westernmost 6 km of the route. The 'southern trackway-surface, but are rather a very free ren branch' of the track assumed on the basis of the dering of natural wood present in the fen-peat at research of van Giffen (1938) of the 'northern this spot (Casparie, in prep.). There are various branch' never existed. Although it is impossible to reports of finds made on and neal' the trackway, establish the entire course with certainty, the most including parts of wagons; this indicates the use of likely route is a combination of van Giffen's stretch, the track. Nevertheless van Giffen's stretch of the the stretch of the 'northern branch' determined by trackway seems to have been hardly suitable for van Zeist, and the eastern trenches of Karsten, taking wagons with spoked wheels. No indications notably those in which planks were found. have been found of a covering layer of e.g. turves. Remarks: There is a wide discrepancy in size Karsten estimated that for the construction c. between the building elements excavated by van 60,000 logs and planks would have been required, Giffen and Landweer's photographical informa coming from about 10,000 trees. For this amount of tion, and the planks and logs drawn by Karsten. timber an area of a few hundred hectares of forest Karsten's trenches 18, 19 and 20 do not represent a would have been necessary.
Bog trackways in the Netherlands 45 46 W.A. CASPARIE
Fig. II Valtherbrug, I(Bou), excavation 1936. The surface-Ievel in this section is mainly built of(split) tree trunks. lron Age, c. 345 Be.
II(Bou). Weerdingerveen, tree-trunk trackway and III(Bou). Valthe, Langhietslanden, trackway of (slightly further along in an easterly direction) roundwood, about 3 m wide. The trackway-surface brushwood, measuring c. 3 m and 1.20 m in width, consists of small, round tree trunks, lying on a respectively. Trackway II of van Zeist (1958). Tree substructure of logs. Underneath there lie bundles species: Pinus, Betula and Alnus. The tree trunks lie of brushwood in the direction of the longitudinal on a substructure of logs; the bundles of brushwood axis of the trackway. Trackway I of van Zeist lie in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the (1958). The trackway has been found to extend over trackway. The trackway is approximately 2 km a length. of about 600 m. long. It is supposed to follow a distinct bend. The Remarks: There is no information available as to trackway allegedly runs in the direction of the whether this trackway lay in or on the peat. In the (highly doubtful) southern branch of I(Bou), with latter case it could be a medieval or younger out actually reaching it. There is no known dating; brushwood trackway that was used for the exploita the trackway lay partly immediately below the peat tion of this bog area, e.g. for the purpose of winning surface. The precise location is not known; the bog-iron ore or for reaching hay fields. At the same location reported is not correct. time, it is not impossible that here toa we are Remarks: This trackway suffers, as it were, the concerned with natural wood remains present in same problems as Karsten's trenches 18, 19 and 20. wood-rich peat. Here ve ry wood-rich fen peat was present, which means that natural wood remains present here IV(Bou). Valthe, Weerdingerhout, trackway of small could have been interpreted as a trackway. There is tree trunks, some of which lie in the direction of the good reason to doubt the actual existence of this longitudinal axis of the trackway. Trackway III of trackway. van Zeist (1958). No further details are known. The trackway supposedly runs in the direction of the 'southern branch' of I(Bou). Bog trackways in the Netherlands 47
Remarks: It is unlikely that a wooden trackway is XII/(Bou). Weerdingerveen, two raws of small concerned here. So little information is available vertical posts in the peat, spaced one metre apart that a functioll like that proposed for III(Bou) (Landweer, 1898: pp. 207-240). Pos si bly the pegs of cannot be seriously considered. a pathway made out of sods. Remarks: No further details ean be given. V(Bou). Valthe, Strenglanden, footpath of planks, which do not lie dose toget her but are situated some XXV/JJ(Bou). Exloo, Holle Landen, near the Hun distance apart. Trackway IV of van Zeist (1958). ze, brushwood trackway, near the spot where the The planks, of Quercus, are 0.9-l.2 m long. At the remains of(presumably) a post-mill were excavated ends of each plank a hole has been cut through. in 1976 by the B.A.!. (unpublished). A surfaee of They may have been fixed into the peat by means of brushwood with some sand in between, measuring pegs measuring c. 1.2 m in length, or they may have about 2 m wide. At the top ofthe peat, immediately rested with their openings over these pegs, with the below the surfaee layer of grass of the peatland. peg heads projecting thraugh the holes. The path Direction approximately west-east, observed over a has been observed over a very short distance. Its length of c. 15 m. The trackway is older than the location and direction are uncertain. present-day parcel-system (17th century AD?), but Remarks: It is not clear whether the observed younger than' the undated post-mil!. planks are situated in the longitudinal direction of Remarks: In this region bog-iran ore was dug the trackway or whether they lie transversely. In the intensively until into the 20th century, as a result of latter case it is possibie that they are the transverse which the surfaee of this peatland was considerably timbers of a footpath one or two planks wide, of disturbed. which the walking surfaee has disappeared. 6.1 .3. Emmenjinq area (fig. 12) V/(Bou). Valthe, the Lange Hiet, a number of square posts driven into the bog; Quercus (van X/V(Bou) 'hurdle trackway'. Emmerschans, track Zeist, 1958: p. 40). The posts were about 50 cm long, way of hurdle mats measuring c. 2.70 m wide (fig. 5- 10 wide and pointed. Here and there they stood in 13). The trackway-surface is made out ofhurdles of pairs, spaced 40 cm apart. The path could be traced four-year-old Salix branches, on a substructure of a over a length of c. 100 m in an easterly direction. loose frarnework of roundwood of i.a. Betula, Remarks: Possibly the remains ofa bog trackway Alnus, Fraxinus and Pinus. Where a small bog of which most of the material has disappeared, stream had to be crossed, an extra foundation of although this is by no means certain. bundles of Salix rads was present. The trackway was probably about 3 km long and led to a spot VJJ(Bou). Exloo, Zuurveense Dijk, wood remains in where bog-iron ore was present. Excavation by the the peat, about 300 m fram the Hondsrug, possibly B.A.!: in 1962 and 1963 (Casparie, 1986; see also the remains of a wooden trackway (van Zeist, 1958: Wesselink, 1924). 14C dating: 170±40 BC. p. 45-46), at a depth of 0.8 m. Remarks:,These hurdles were made in exactly the Remarks: It is possibie that these are the remains same way as hurdles produced today. The use of of activities in this bog area, in which the Hunze hurdles indicates the presence of Salix osier bed flows. Iran ore was dug here, for example, until into culture on the Hondsrug in this locality. The the 20th century: Similar indistinct wood remains trackway was most probably laid out to facilitate are known from other places in this Hunze peatland the extraction of bog-iran ore. area. XV(Bou) 'northern plank jootpath'. Bargeraoster V/JJ(Bou). Exloo, Zuurse Dijk, near the Hunze, veld-Emmererfscheidenveen, wooden footpath 40- found in 1953, a raw of tree trunks of unequal 50 cm wide. The walking surfaee consists of pairs of length lying over a distance of c. 3 m (van Zeist, planks, la id out next to each other longitudinally, 1958: p. 46); the direction followed is north-south; measuring about 3 m (fig. 14). The overlapping ends depth 0.8 m. of the planks are firmly secured together between Remarks: In this case toa it cannot be said so-called double transverse timbers. These have a whether these are the remains of a wooden track lower plank and an upper plank; each has two way; see also the remarks on VII(Bou). square holes, one on each side of the foot planks. The double transverse timbers are consistently fixed /X(Bou). Exloo, Boermastreek, collection of logs, into the bog by means of two pegs; in this way the up to 4 m long, in the peat at a depth of c. l.5 m, foot planks are firmly secured. Appraximately in found in the spring of 1912 (Landweer, 1913: p. the middle between the double transverse timbers 204). the foot planks are given additional support by a Remarks: Too littie information available to transverse timber without any holes. The con form any kind of clear impression. struction elements are made out af Quercus trees, 48 W.A. CASPARIE
Fig. 12. Emmen find area af the Baurtanger Maar; rectangle C af figure 4. Legend: see fig. 6. Bog trackways in the Netherlands 49
Fig. 13. Emmerschans, hurdle trackway, XIV(Bou), excavation 1962. One hurdle is missing. Iron Age, c. 170 BC.
40-45 cm thick, which were on average more than XVII(Bou) 'southern plankjootpath'. Bargerooster 100 years old. The heartwood was used for the foot veld, wooden footpath measuring 25-30 cm in planks, the sapwood for the transverse timbers and width. The walking surface is one plank wide. The the pegs. ends of the planks, which measure C. 3 m in length, The footpath has been traced with certainty over overlap and have a square hole cut through them a length of 4.5 km. Starting from the Hondsrug, it (fig. 15). Underneath this overlap there lies a may have provided access right across the bog, over transverse timber with a square hole in the middle. a distance of C. 12 km. Excavations in 1910 by These construction elements are fixed into the bog Wesselink (1924), and by the B.A.I. between 1952 by means of a wooden pen. The construction and 1967 (Casparie, 1986). 14C dating: 530±40 BC. elements are of Quercus; trees 40-45 cm thick and Shortly after it had been built it was destroyed more than 100 years old. The foot planks are made intentionally. When this happened the planks were out of heartwood, the transverse timbers and pegs either taken away to the settlement on the Honds out of sapwood. The path may have been C. 3 km rug, or driven vertically into the peaL long; it was la id out from the Hondsrug in order to Remarks: The path would have been ve ry com reach an area with bog-iron ore. In a very wet part fortable to walk along and of good stability; only in of the bog surface the building method had been ve ry wet parts of the bog surface would there have adapt�d; planks from somewhat drier spots (hum been insufficient protection against water. The mocks) were shifted to hollows (fig. 16). Excava destruction of the path is probably related to the tions by the B.A.I. between 1961 and 1967 (Cas increased danger on the bog surface as a result of parie, 1984). Dendrochronological dating C. 1350 wide-scale erosion after a bog burst in the peat, C. BC (pers. comm. B. Schmidt, Cologne); 14C datings: 500 BC. 1170±50 BC and 1195±55 BC. 50 W.A. CASPARIE
Fig. 14. Bargeroosterveld, northern plank footpath, XV(Bou),excavation 1963. The path lYas destroyed aiready in prehistoric times. Iron Age, c. 530 BC.
Remarks: The path was very stable; it would have each side. The walking-surface logs were kept been moderately comfortable on account of its together by means of pegs driven vertically into the narrowness and the presence of pegs in the midline bog, with 4 such pegs being used per 'construction of the pathway. Moreover in many places on the unit'. All the construction elements were made of bog surface the footpath was situated too low to Pinus trunks. The tops of the trunks served as pegs; perrnitpedestri ans to pass dry-shod at all times. On the oase ends as trackway-surface elements. The this path an iron punch was found (Charles, 1984; transverses are made out of the intermediate parts Casparie, 1984), indicating iron-working activities of the tree trunks. The footpath logs fa ll into two in this region in the Middle Bronze Age. size categories: c. 3 m and c. 4.50 m long. The pine trees, which had grown in the bog, were 75-85 years XVIII(Bou) 'roundlVood jootpath'. Klazienaveen old. North, footpath measuring c. 50 cm in width. The The path was possibly C. 3 km long, and had been walking surface consists of logs, 10-15 cm in built from the Hondsrug in order to reach an area diameter, laid out longitudinally, with 4 or 5 logs with bog-iron ore in the bog. Excavation by van 1 Iying together all the way along (fig. 17). Both ends Giffen in 1930 (Casparie, 1984). 4C dating: 1120±- of this roundwood lie on transverse logs: one on 50 BC. Bog trackways in the Netherlands 51
Fig. 15. Bargeroosterveld, southern plank footpath, XVII(Bou), Fig. 16. Bargeroosterveld, southern plank footpath, XVII(Bou), excavation 1963. Middle Bronze Age, c. 1180 Be. excavation 1963. Adapted method of construction on a very damp section of the bog surface.
Fig. 17. Klazienaveen-North, round wood fo othpath, XVIIl(Bou), exca vation 1930. The surface-Ievel in the foregrond has been removed by peat digging activities. Middle Bronze Age, c 1 120 BC. 52 W.A. CASPARIE
Remarks: This was a stable path, although it The construction was definitely not a wooden would not have been very comfortable on account trackway from the Hondsrug, but it may have been ofthe longitudinally laid logs used as surfacing. For a platform used for winning bog-iron ore. each construction element of 4 logs only 2 trans versals are required; as a result of this the construc XX(Bou). Klazienaveen-North, near IQck 2, a bog tion units come in two lengths: c. 3 m and c. 4.50 m. trackway. This trackway was reported by Lartdweer (1912), without any indication of its dimensions or XIX(Bou). Klazienaveen-North, near lock 2, track the construction method. It lies about 100 m east of way or platform about 3.5 m in width, made of XIX(Bou). Not dated. smooth tre e trunks resting on 4 evenly spaced Remarks: The presence of this construction is substructural elements. The direction followed is also certain; like XIX(Bou) it may be connected north-south. This was reported by G.J. Landweer with winning iron ore, which was present locally. Jz. (1912). Not dated, but as Landweer mentions Landweer does not mention this, however; in any that the construction lies under one metre of peat, it case this construction was not a wooden trackway probably dates from the Bronze Age; it may even fr om the Hondsrug. date from the Late Neolithic. Remarks: The presence of this construction is XXI(Bou). Nieuw-Dordrecht, wooden trackway certain; it may have some relation with XXI(Bou). measuring 2.5-3 m in width. The trackway-surface
Fig . 18. Nieuw-Dordrecht, XXI (Bou), excavation 1964. Neolithic, c. 2100 BC. Bog trackways in the Netherlands 53
is made of transversely laid roundwood,partly split, direction. 14C dating: 1160±35 Be. of Alnus, Betula, Quercus and Tilia (fig. 18). On the Remarks: the path was carefully made, but its trackway-surface planks of slabwood are used to construction is insufficiently solid and toa unstable make the surface even; the trackway was intended to provide an efficient means of getting over the bog to carry wheeled traffic. Only the westernmost part surface. has a substructure oflongitudinally la id tree trunks; predominantly Betula. 'This trackway, which was XXV/(Bou) Hasseberg. Sellingen, near the Hasse built from the Hondsrug, has been traced over a berg,footpath or possibly a small bridge measuring length of about l km; it was certainly not longer 50-60 cm in width,bu ilt over the peat-filled arm of a than 2.5 km. Excavations by the B.A.I. between river at the foot of the Hasseberg. Location, see 1955 and 1981 (Casparie, 1982). Oating: around figure 19. The walking surface consists of two 2100 BC; on the basis of3 14C datings: 2150±55 BC, planks lying alongside each other on a substructure 2130±55 BC and 2070±35 Be. ofbrushwood of Betula. Reconnaissance in 1924 by Remarks: Although the trackway was built to van Giffen (1924: pp. 6-7; possibly also described in carry wheeled traffic (surface-Ievelling wood!) it Tijdschrijt voor Genealogie en Historie 'Wester could not be used for this purpose,on account ofthe \Volde', 1983,4,p. 21). The coarsely worked planks absence of a substructure over a great Iength of the or tree trunks, Quercus, lay at a depth of 1.90 m stretch of trackway found. Here the transport of a below the surface,probably at the base ofthe poorly wheeled vehicle over the wet bog surface requires a humified Sphagnum peat. The length of the con stronger construction than that provided by the struction was probably 50-60 m (the width of the trackway-surface only. The trackway was not in peat-filled river arm). Direction approximately west tended to provide access right across the bog (c. 12 east, on the west side of the Hasseberg. km); for that purpose the extremity ofthe Hondsrug Remarks: The peat-filled depression is one of the fr om which the trackway is built provided toa little Westerwolde 'rilIs', which still played a role in the wood. It is possibie that we are concerned here with natural drainage of this landscape during the Late an uncompleted trackway. The purpose of the G lacial. In view of the depth of the construction in trackway is not clear. Near the trackway a broken the peat and the description of the peat material wagon wheel,of the disc wheel type,of Quercus was found it can be deduced that here we are most fo und (van der Waals, 1964),as well as an axe haft probably concernedwith a footpath dating from the ef Taxus wood and a haft of Sorbus wood. -Bronze Age.
XXII/(Bou). Onstwedder Horst, to the north of 6.1.4. Westerwoldejind area (figs 10, 12, 19) Musselkanaal, substructural elements of the same X(Bou). Ter Apel, trackway of brushwood (rijs type as those ofthe Valtherbrug I(Bou), possibly of houtweg), 3 m wide, found 50 m north of the a bog trackway running northeast-southwest (van Valtherbrug ( I(Bou)), at· the fr ont of parcel of Zeist, 1958: p. 46; as is evident fr om reports in the = peat No. 10 in the Terhaarsterveen (Landweer, Drentsche Courant No. 27,4.4. 1 843, and No. 30, 1898: pp. 212-2 1 3). Direction more or less the same 14.4. 1843; see also van der Aa,Dl. VIII, 1846,under as I(Bou); observed over a length of a few metres. Onstwedde). This trackway supposedly joins up Location, see figure 10. with I(Bou). Location, see figure 19. Remarks: Although we are undoubtedly con Remarks: The information cannot be considered cerned with a trackway here,toa littie information as reliable; here we see a typical example ofthe spirit is available to form a clear picture. of the time, involving the desire to find connections with I(Bou). The area concerned was still occupied XV/(Bou) 'batten trackway'. Emmercompascuum, in the Neolithic, but shortly afterwards the peat footpath 30 cm wide. The walking surface consists formation here gained the upper hand. of longitudinally laid planks, which are stabilized by remarkable transverse timbers,of Quercus (Land XXII(Bou) 'Bommen Berend'. Jipsinghuizen, wood weer, 1902; Casparie, 1984). The path was present at en trackway,made out of material requisitioned in a depth of c. 1.50 m in the peat at parcel of peat No. the Emsland, built for the purposes of the army of 16 of the Oostelijke Owarsplaatsen. Location, see Bishop Bernhard von Galen, bishop ofMunster, in figure 12. The direction it followed was approxi 1665, with a view to launching an attack on· the mately northeast-southwest. The path was traced fortif;cation of Bourtange. Location, see figure 19. over a length of a fe w tens of metres; it was probably The trackway had a length of 1236 roods or two almost 2 km long. Location, see figure 5. It served hour's walking distance (probably 6 km) and a the purpose of providing access to something in the width of 5 infantrymen or 3 cavah'ymen (about 3 bog, and not as a passageway right across the bog, m). It was made out of doors, window frames, as is evident from the method of construction and planks, brushwood, etc. 54 W.A. CASPARIE
' Fig. 19. Westerw6lde find area ofthe Bourtanger Moor, rectangle D offigu re4. The tracks X and XVI(Bou) ofthis find area are marked in figures IO and 12, respectively, Legend: see fig. 6.
Remarks: The trackway serve d as an attack route lI(Coe). Coevorden, hurdle trackway, built in the and a possibie retreat route through the bogs of autumn of 1536 over the marshy land near Coevor BOUl'tange, for the troops of Munster, who were den, by Georg Schenck, general of Charles V, for operating in Westerwolde in the wet autumn of bringing his artillery to Coevorden (van der Scheer, 1665. A description of the trackway and the as 0- 1850: p. 181). ciated military events is given by J.B. Diepenbrock Remarks: Trackways of this kind will often have (1885: pp. 481-484). been built in times of war.
6.2. The Drenthe-Overijssel border bogs 6.2.2. Zuidwo/dejind area (fig. 21) f(Zui). Zuidwolde,fo otpath,fo und since 1880 in the 6.2. 1. Coevorden find area (fig. 20) bogs of Sanders and Koekoek in the Steen berger f(Coe). Steenwijksmoer near Coevorden, wooden Oosterveld in the course of peat-digging. The trackway in the peat; reported as having the same footpath is l m wide; the walking surface is formed construction as the Valtherbrug I(Bou), (A.v.H., by four split oaks Iying adjacently, l foot below the 1837: pp. 126- 142). peat surface (Landweer, 1912: pp. 135- 141). The Bog trackways in the Netherlands 55
logs measure 1.20-1.40 m in length; they are kept longitudinally laid 10gs of Alnus. The trackway firmly in place by pegs driven into the peat on either measures 280 m in length; it travers es a peat-filled side of them. depression in the eastern peripheral zone of the Remarks: Landweer probably did not see the Smilde bogs. Excavation by the. B.A.I. in 1983 pathway himself; the description, based on a report (Pelinck, 1903: pp. 191-20 1; Casparie, 1985). The on the Provinciale Drentsche en Asser Courant of trackway could be followed as a sand track over a August 3rd, 1887, is so clear that a bog trackway ridge of sand (fig. 24); like II(Sm), it is part of a must be concerned here. route about 9 km long that runs to a great ex ten t J over sand ridges. 4C datings: 245±30 BC and 210±30 BC. 6. 3. Smildervenen (Smilde bogs) Remarks: Next to the part of this trackway that exists as a sand track on the sand ridge a supply of 6.3. 1. Smilde find area (fig. 22) sand was found, which was presumably intended I(Sm) 'Pelinck's track'. Smilde, Suermondswijk, for improving the trackway-surface; the wooden wooden trackway almost 3 m wide (fig. 3). The trackway functioned for only a short time. This is trackway-surface is made out of transversely laid the only prehistoric wooden trackway in the Nether logs of Alnus (fig. 23), covered by heather turves; a Iands that is definitely known to have had a surface small stretch of the trackway has a substructure of covering of turves. 56 W.A. CASPARIE
Fig. 20. Coevorden rind area or the Drenthe-Overijssel border bogs; rectangle E or rigure 4. Legend: see rig. 6.
Fig. 21. Zuidwolde rind area or the Drenthe-Overijssel border bogs; rect angle F or rigure 4. Legend: see rig. 6. Bog trackways in the Nether/ands 57
..;-. /i. // ,-, " jr, i"
. ; - ._- \ . "t� ' I) ), j' I
Fig. 22. Smilde rind area or the Smilde bogs; rectangle G or rigure 4. Legend: see rig. 6.
Fi�. 23. Smilde, Pelinck's track, I (Sm), excavation 1902. Photo by G.J. Landweer Jz, Iron Age, c. 220 BC. 58 W.A. CASPARIE
Fig. 24. Smilde, Pelinck's track, I (Sm), excavation 1983. The southwest end of the wooden track (on the right), and the elongation as sand track, visible as a variegated pattern of heather turves. Black-and-white print of a colour negative.
Fig. 25. Smilde, Korteweg's· track, II(Sm), Photo of 1926. Iran Age, very prabably c. 220 BC.
II(Sm) 'KortelVeg's track'. Smilde, south of the III(Sm). Appelscha, Friesche Scheid, a trackway Suermondswijk, wooden trackway almost 3 m 2-3 m wide running northwards which can be traced wide. Although the trackway has not been exca as far as the Ravensmeer. trackway lies 0.5-1 m The vated, it was nevertheless possibie to establish the below the surface (Pelinck, 1903: pp. 191-20 1). method of construction, the precise location and the Remarks: Very unclear information; Pelinck him course fo llowed, on the basis of photographs taken self never saw the trackway. in 1926 (fig. 25). The length of the road was 170 m (Casparie, 1985). IV(Sm). Appelscha, half an hour's walking distance Remarks: This trackway is situa ted to the south from t�e Ravensmeer, a trackway made out of thin of the sand ridge mentioned under I(Sm). It un tree trunks of birch (Pelinck, 1903: pp. 191-20 1). doubtedly fo rms part of the previously mentioned Remarks: Almost certainly a trackway distinct route over sand ridges. Consequently it must date from III(Sm), but the information available is not at from around 220 BC. all clear. Pelinck himself never saw this trackway Bog trackways in the Netherlands 59
: either. The reported method of construction do es '.' , ' - " , - not exclude the possibility that natural wood is concerned here and not a trackway.
6.3.2. Fochterloerveen (Fochtel0 bog) (fig. 26) I(Fo). Fochtelo; stone' trackway under the peat,
Fig, 28, Drachten bogs find area; rectangle K of figure 4, Legend: see fig. 6.
north of Fochtelo, not fa r from De Knolle (Pelinck, 1903: pp, 191-201). Reconnaissance in 1921 by A.E. Remouchamps, who mentions that he was able to trace the trackway over a distance of 700-800 m. In his opinion the cobbles and boulders were no longer in situ but had sunk 0.5-1.5 m into the bog, Remarks: Not a wooden trackway; the informa tion given by Remouchamps is not convincing, Subsequent investigation by S,W. Jager (B.A.I.) in 1988 Fig. 26. Fochteloerveen find area of the Smilde bogs; rectangle has clearly shown that no trackway is con H of figure 4. Legend: see fig. 6. cerned here. The natural occurrence here ofboulder clay, very rich in cobbles, at the base ofthe peat was erroneously interpreted as a trackway under the bog, (The Fochtelo bog is the northern part ofthe Smilde bogs,) l.
6,3,3, Makkinga (fig. 27) I(Ma)". Appelscha, a trackway of logs and brush
- wood under the peat, on the heath between Appel - 'l:-it}.- ... -'! scha and Elsloo; also brushwood on a sand ridge, -'';''� ----�- - under a hillock of blown sand (Pelinck, 1903: pp,
?l.. . -;;-.���� - t k"m;, 191-201). '_--'-""""-L_ Remarks: The reported 'method of construction' Fig, 27. Makkinga find area of the Smilde bogs; rectangle J of figure 4, Legend: see fig, 6. could well indicate the natural presence of wood, It 60 W.A. CASPARIE
Fig. 29. Engertsdijksveen find area; rectangle L af figure 4. Legend: see fig. 6.
is therefore very uncertain whether a trackway is Remarks: The information is extremely vague. concerned here at all. Pelinck refers to various teports. He is fairly certain that no path or trackway was concern ed here. (The peat-bog area of Makkinga-EIsloo lies ad jacent to the southwestern part ofthe Smilde bogs.) 6.5. Engbertsdijksveen (Engbertsdijks bog) (figs 29, 30) 6.4. Drachtstervenen (Drachten bogs) (fig. 28) I(Eng). Yroomshoop, a trackway 6 km long, about I(Dr). Drachten, a pathway between Drachten and 1.5 m below the peat surface, running north-south Ureterp, possibly a path made of branches cut up (according to J.A. Ort, n.d.,De Marsen en hun Land, with an axe, laid down over short distances in on p. 62, mentioned in G.J. ter Kuile, 1909: p. 25). It woodland. The path is said to have been found has the same contruction as the trackways in the around or just before 1766 in a peat-digging site on Bourtanger marshes (i.e. Valthe find area). Loca the Ureterpervaart (Pelinck, 1903: pp. 191-20 tion, see figure 29. l). Bog trackways in the Netherlands 61
Remarks: The existence of such a trackway is tions ofthis trackway are known. Nor has any wood questionable. From the point of view of the land from it been preserved. Therefore the actual exis scape a trackway 6 km long at a depth of c. 1.5 m tence of this trackway is uncertain. below the peat surface is an impossibility. More over, a trackway of this length would have been II(Eng). Vroomshoop, wooden trackway of un found many times in the course of peat-digging known construction, that may possibly be situated operations; apart from the above-mentioned re in Hellendoorn. Since 1887 the wood remains have port, no (supplementary) reports or other indica- been preserved in the Provinciaal Oudheidkundig Museum in Zwolle (Lanting Mook, 1977). 14C & dating: 165±30 Be. Location, figure 30. Remarks: The existence of this trackway is cer tain. It is possibIe that it did not lie in a raised bog, but that it forrneda means of crossing a valley, as part of a route passing straight across the peaty valley of the Midden-Regge near HeIlendoorn. On account of the lack of data concerning the origin of the wood the trackway is here included in the Engbertsdijksveen find area, although the Midden Regge valley does noet actually belong to this raised bog. It is possibie that I(Eng) and II(Eng) are one and the same trackway; there is no longer any way of ascertaining this, however.
6.6. Buurserveen (Buurse bog) (fig. 31) I(Bu). Haaksbergen, wooden trackway made Qut of trunks of birch Iying next to one another on top of twigs, on the transition from sand to bog. The direction followed is not known and the trackway has been observed only over a very short distance (Hijszeler, 1947: pp. 327-350; including a photo graph opposite p. 345). 14C dating: 2460±35 BC. Remarks: The photograph clearly shows that there is no trackway here but remains of aBetula carr forest at the base of the peat deposit (fig. 32).
Fig. 30. Find area near Hellendaarn, here eansidered as part af The 14C dating thus relates to the beginning of the the Engbertsdijksveen; rectangle M affigure 4. Legend: see fig. 6. peat formation at this spot.
Fig. 31. Buurserveen find area; rect angle N af figure 4. Legend : see fig. 6. 62 W.A. CASPARIE
Fig. 32. Buurserveen !(Bu), excava tion 1947. Natural wood (Bellda) at the base of the peat deposits, erro neously interpreted as a section of a trackway. Dated to 2460 Be. Photo by e.e.W.J. Hijszeler.
been a footpath present over a lattice of (birch)
'-,:..r twigs. --ti Remarks: Although this part of the trackway is ,I ; largely made out of wood, it does not really belong � r- ... / :', I in this overview as it concerns a section of a Roman road (heirbaan). Janssen mentions that it was covered over by peat. He uses this information in his discussion on the dating and origin of the Valther brug I(Bou), in which he considers the possibility of a Roman road being present there. For this reason this trackway I(Roo) is included here nevertheless.
7. DATINGS
Datings are known for some of the bog trackways, as indicated in figure 35. The dates given are based on 14C datings (table l) and historicaI datings (XXII(Bou) and II(Coe» ; archaeological datings and estimations of age on the basis of peat Fig. 33. Roodebeek-Sittard find area; rectangle P of figure 4. stratigraphical data have been disregarded. The 14C Legend: see fig. 6. dating for I(Bu) has not been included in the figure, as this was certainly not a trackway. Although the figure indicates that trackways and fo otpaths were built and used from Neolithic times 6.7. Roodebeek-Sittard (fig. 33) on, the total amount of information is too restricted I(Si). Broek-Sittard, wooden trackway, probably and above all toa fragmentary to obtain a clear partly a bridge, across the valley of the Roodebeek, pieture of developments in trackway construction. the fen-wood bog of Broek-Sittard, extending over a length of a few hundred metres. The trackway has a very complex method of construction (fig. 34), 8. DISCUSSION and ean be interpreted as part of a Roman (military) road (Janssen, 1850: pp. 19-32; the same article as in Out of the total number of 40 items, it is not possibie the Staatscourant of September 20th, 1848). In to indicate precisely how many trackways, paths or addition to a trackway-surface of oak planks resting other construetions are concerned. In all prob on a substructure of oak logs, there may aIso have ability 22 are definitely and 5 probably or possibly a Bog trackways in the Netherlands 63
Romeinsc he brug van hout en krl bwerk gevonden te Broeksit tard
Fig. 34. Broek-Sittard, Roodebeek, I(Si), reconnaissance 1845. Modem drawing based on a poorly preserved drawing, made in 1845 by L.J.F. Janssen, with the notice 'Roman bridge of wood and groyning'. Ro man Age. ,�� ;�:r=i;:=;.�! 1: �; �;7:*! ====+====�===�====!L Ned. ellen
Ueolithic Blonze Age hoo '" Aom.n J ".1 E"" .'d,,,,,I ,,,,, .'d'''''.l'"w"m. 1 "00 3000 I 2500 2000 11500 11000 500 XX" Boul -;\ , XVII IOou l , ' --,------'1II111 I XVI IOou) D ' ---.------10 I
XVIIIIBoul ---.------0
XV (Boul ---.------�--�o
I (Boul ---.------�----�o .
I (5m ) �,----�__,_--ffl� I XIV (Bou ) 14 --,,------,------11 : Fig. 35. C datings, given with I standard deviation (not calibrated), I (v, ) --,------,------0 : and historical datings (of II(Coe) and XXVII (BOUI------.- -,-- --,------�; XXII(Bou)) of the (wooden) track - � II (Coe ) ways. The dating of I(Bu) is dis regarded here, for this is not a track XXILIBou ) --,------,------,------,-----1 but the natural wood at the peat base.
trackway or path, while 13 are neither of these. In provide a means of passage across narrow depres view of the wide distribution in time and the sions; fi l!ed with peat in a route extending over 9 presence of many raised bogs, which fu nctioned as km. natural barriers in the landscape, wooden track In relation to the advanced dissection of the ways ean be regarded as ve ry exceptional. Thus it is landscape and in comparison with fi nds made in possibie in one case only to demonstrate that a adjacent Northwest Germany, the smal! number of ' trackway forms part of a traffie system: I(Sm) and bog trackways is remarkable. We may assume that n(Sm) in the bogs of Smilde, which served to in the Dutch bogs many trackways and paths have 64 W.A. CASPARIE
Table I. "c datings of (wooden) tracks, arranged according to find area.
XXVlI(Bou) Cobble road of Bronneger GrN-8630 970±35 BP ( 980±35 AD) GrN-863J lO05±J5 BP ( 945±35 AD) I(Bou) Valtherbrug GrN- I 085 2295±50 BP ( 345±50 BC) XIV(Bou) Hurlde trackway GrN-4J47 2J20±50 BP ( J70±50 BC) XV(Bou) Northern plank footpath GrN-4622 2480±40 BP ( 530±40 BC) XVII(Bou) Southern plank footpath GrN-4 J49 3J20±50 BP (1170±50 BC) GrN-4342 J145±55 BP (1195±50 BC) XVIII(Bou) Roundwood fo otpath GrN-1 1785 3070±50 BP (1 120±50 BC) XXI(Bou) Nieuw-Dordrecht GrN- I087 4080±55 BP (2130±55 BP) GrN-2986 4100±55 BP (21 50±55 BC) GrN- 1 0760 4020±J5 BP (2070±35 BC) XVI(Bou) Batten trackway GrN-7900 311O±35 BP (1160±35 BC) I(Sm) Pelinck's track GrN- 11336 2195±JO BP ( 245±30 BC) GrN-1 1337 2160±30 BP ( 21O±30 BC) II(Eng) Vroomshoop GrN-745J 2115±30 BP ( J65±30 BC) I(Bu) Haaksbergen GrN-7454 44 1O±35 BP (2450±35 BC)
disappeared, unnoticed, in the course of peat Valthe find area, XIV(Bou), XV(Bou), XVII(Bou), digging operations. In addition it is also certain that XVIII(Bou) and XXI(Bou) in the Emmen find area, natural barriers in the landscape, in the form of and I(Sm) in the Smilde bogs. These aspects, the raised bogs, were traversed by far fe wer wooden building techniques and various technological and trackways than in the bog region of the Northwest organizational detaiIs, which are closely inter German lowland plain. This applies in any case to related factors in road-building, are disregarded the l2-km-wide Bourtanger Moor; the number of here. Further details of these aspects, of the envi trackways that spanned the whole bog was prob ronmental situation and of the impassability of the ably not more than 2. peat bog surface are mentioned in the publications A long-standing point of discussion in bog ar concerning these trackways and paths. chaeology is the question as to what ex:tent 'un completed' trackways were present, i.e. where the trackways did not connect areas of higher ground 9. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS on either side ofthe bog. It has often been assumed that the trackway builders stopped working before Mr. G. Delger (B.A.I.) prepared most of the the job was finished, for some reason or other. drawings; Mrs. S.M. van Gelder-Ottway translated There is only one case of a trackway that was the text, and Mrs. I. Cornelis (B.A.I.) typed the probably left unfinished: XXI(Bou) in Nieuw-Oord manuscript. Most of the photographs were pre recht in the Bourtanger Moor. In various other pared by the Centrale Fotodienst of the University cases, in which it was possibie to demonstrate the of Groningen. The author wishes to thank all of presence of a bog trackway or path over a relatively these for their cooperation. The distribution maps short distance, research has shown conclusively that in this paper are based on the Topographical Map such constructions had some particular fu nction of the Netherlands, scale l: 25.000, sheets liE, 11H, other than providing a means of passage across the 12C, 12H, 12C, 17H, 18A, 18B, 18C,22A,22E, 28B, whole bog. In the Emmen fi nd area of the Bour 34A, 60C, 600. Reproduction of these maps by tanger Moor paths were laid out for the purpose of courtesy of the Topografische Oienst, Emmen. winning iron ore. It is clear that such trackways were not laid out primarily to meet the needs of traffic, i.e. as part of a road network. A more important motivation was access to attractive raw 10. REFERENCES ma terials in the bog. In this respect a distinction can be made between our information and the picture AA, A.J. VAN DER, 1839-1851. Onstwedde. Aardrijkskulldig IVoordenboek der Nederlalldell 8, 1846, p. 458. that Coles and Hayen have outlined of their re CASPARIE, W.A., 1978. De absolute ouderdom van Land� search areas. weer's voetpad in het veen van het Emmercompascuum. Building wooden trackways is particularly labour Niel/IVe'Drelltse Volksalmallak 95, pp. 229-242. intensive and requires much material. In a fe w cases CASPARlE, W.A., 1982 (1984). The Neolithic wooden trackway it has been possibie to give a rough idea of the XXI(Bou) in the raised bog at Nieuw-Dordrecht (The Netherlands). Palaeohistoria 24, pp. 1 15-164. quantity of forest and the amount of work that is CASPARlE, W.A., 1984 (1986). The three Bronze Age fo otpaths required to build such trackways, e.g. I(Bou) in the XVI(Bou), XVII(Bou) and XVIII(Bou) in the raised bog of Bog trackways in the Netherlands 65
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