Hunebedden - Drenthe

All pictures in this chapter made in 2009 and 2012 by Alec

From 54 remaining "hunebedden" (passage tombs) 52 are situated in the province Drenthe.
More north, in the province Groningen you can find the other two.

Numeration

Early in the 20^th century the Netherlander professor A. Van Giffen investigated many "hunebedden" and gave their still used numeration.

Professor A. Van Giffen

Age

The "hunebedden" in the Netherlands are remaining of 5400 year old 'burial chambers"*, probably constructed by the first "Dutch" farmers. (The Funnel Beaker Culture). Big boulders, imported by glaciers in the last Ice Age, where used as building material.
(More about the Funnel Beaker Culture in "General Information" via following link: Funnel)

D45 - Emmerdennen

* Only in a few "hunebedden" human remains where found. Some investigators doubt it where burial chambers. Frits Bom, the author of the first "Duch Hunebedden Guide", consider the monuments as save shelters in case of natural disasters...
Possibly only human ashes where deposed in the chambers, may be the "hunebedden" only had a ritual function.

Actual conditions

Originally a hill of sand covered all "hunebedden". 
The remaining "hunebedden" are strongly damaged and partial or bad restored. Many "hunebedden" where partial or completely demolished to be used as building material. Several dikes in the Netherlands still contain stones originating from the old monuments.

New information

In 2012 new information panels where placed near the hunebedden, showing information in Dutch on one side, and the same information in English on the other side. Also the road signs to the hunebedden where renewed.
A new folder, including a map showing the hunebedden in Drenthe and Emsland (Germany), is available in the tourist information offices and in the "Hunebedcentrum". 

New information panel D36 and D37

Museum:

In the "Drents Museum" in Assen many artefacts found in and around the hunnebedden are exposed.

Drents Museum
Brink 1, NL-9401 HS Assen
Tel. +31 (0) 5 92 / 37 77 73
info@drentsmuseum.nl
www.drentsmuseum.nl/website-english/home.html (in English)

Hunebedcentrum: see next page Borger

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