About 7000 years ago, small groups of hunters camped on the banks of the Loobeek.
It was warm and Limburg was covered by a huge deciduous forest. To find food, the hunters had to look for open spaces. They could be found at the edges of the Peel, the broad valley of the Maas and at the narrow valleys of streams. The Loobeek is one of these brooks. Here, remains of hunters' camps have been found.
In 1988 and '89 such a small camp was excavated in its entirety. Materials such as bone, antlers and food have perished. Hearths have been found. And remains of flint waste from tool making. And tools themselves, such as arrow shafts for hunting and scrapers for cleaning and working hides. Presumably this is a base camp where about 10 to 20 men, women and children stayed. They came back again and again and were able to survive here. They also had contact with other groups over large distances. Stones have been found here, such as Wommersom quartzite from Tienen in Belgium! All these finds give us a better picture of these first hunters on the banks of the Loobeek.
In the museum in Venray you can see them yourself!
ATTENTION: The spear is on the car park of the Weverlose Schans. This is also a Tourist Transfer Point.
Also find the other Archeo Route Limburg locations.