Resolutie To The Minister of C.R.M. THE HAGUE Netherlands Maastricht, May 1975 Dr. J. Verhoeve Director General of the Sir, Department for Education and Recreation of the During the Second InternationalFlint Symposium held at resolution Ministry of Education Maastricht on May 8-11th 1975, a was passed Prof. Dr. W.A. van Es Head of the National concerning the present state of preservation of the Rijck- Bureau of Archaeology holt flint mines near Maastricht, one of the principal pre- Dr. A. Thiadens Headof the National historic monuments in the Netherlands. This resolution Bureau of Geology we are requested to submit to you for consideration. Ir. A. Hellemans Former Member of the The Flint Symposium is the recognised International Or- Board of ganisation for the study offlint, bringing together archaeo- Staatsmijnen/ DSM logists, geologists and scientists from many countries. It Ir. J. Verkoren Head of the Forestry represents all the universities and is organised with the Commission assistance of a Committee of Recommendation of the Prof. Dr. H.T. Waterbolk Head of the & following individuals, representing many of the most im- Biological Netherland in this field: Archaeological Institute portant organisations Groningen. for Mr. Dr. C.J.M.A. van Rooy Queen’s Commissioner The Symposium was held in the of the Town Limburg presence of Maastricht and the Queen’s Commissioner for Mr. Dr. R. Hotke Director General Depart- Mayor and attended than 150 inclu- ment for the arts of the Limburg, by more people Director of the Ministry of Education ding Professor Waterbolk, Groningen 87 & and Professor looked after resident Biological Archaeological Institute, possible by a Guardian, so as to Moddermanof the Archaeological Institute of the Leiden prevent it being spoiled by idle visitors. University, and representatives of Foreign Organisations The Symposium would like to emphasise that the mines and British including the British Museum, Imperial College should be preserved for two reasons, both as a unique Universities, Universities in Germany, France, Poland and extremely important Historical and Industrial relic of Great and National Antiquities Departments Britain, and equally important as a Monumentof Natural History, Belgium, Poland and Hungary. The Congress of Pre- and representing human ecological activities in the Nether- active protohistoric Science, the Unesco Organisation, lands Nature Reserve of Rijckholt. As an Industrial Mo- also ofthe Committee in this field, was represented by one nument it is of European importance for the study of members. A list of those attending the Symposium is ap- Mining History and is of particular cultural importance to this letter. pended to the History of the Province of Limburg. As a Natural At the Symposium one of the principal subjects of discus- Historical monument the flint mines include the surface sion were the Rijckholt flint mines near Maastricht, exca- workings and traces of mining and industrial activity in of the Netherlands vated during ten years by a workgroup the Nature Reserve ‘Savelsbos’ and in the hill top above, and with the assistance Geological Association explored as well as the tunnels and shafts of the underground mines of mining engineers and geologists formerly employed in and their interesting and unusual zoological and geologi- the Dutch State Mines. cal relics. The Symposium was greatly impressed with the scientific Since the research undertaken at Rijckholt, the flint of the discoveries made the excava- mines have shown of deteriorationand the importance during signs preser- of which unknown in flint tions at Rijckholt, many are vation of the relics must take place very soon if further countries. that the mines from other It was agreed Rijck- damage is to be avoided. monument of the holt flint mines was a greatest impor- For this reason we would appreciate it ifyour Department for internaional studies and Nether- could this tance scientific as a give matter their urgent consideration. lands National Historical monument. of its scientific it unani- behalfof all in In consideration importance was Signed on participants the Symposium, mously resolved that the International Flint Symposium would petition the Minister of C.R.M. that the Rijckholt G. de G. Sieveking, F. C. Kraaijenhagen, flint mines should be taken into Guardianship by the Net- Assistant Keeper ofthe Symposium Chairman herlands Government and be properly restored and if British Museum 88.