Archaeological site Weert - Celtic ramp Weert

The name Molenakker, Mill Field, in Weert comes from three mills on Hushoven and Laar, the Wilhelmus-Hubertus mill, the former Petrus mill on Kampershoek and the Antonius mill.
These are all nearby mills.

And you will find fields where the land is suitable for agriculture ... and that's where you'll find people: Romans in this case, and before them other people had already lived here. There is fertile loamy arable land here and that is why native Roman Weertenaren lived here! And in addition to the houses, they also had granaries or 'spiekers' in which the grain was stored. They lived on a piece of land about the size of 4 football fields.

And of course, where people live, there is something to defend. For example, fortifications were found from the Late Iron Age with a double moat around it. And that is special because no double reinforcement from that time has ever been found anywhere else in the Netherlands. There was also an earthen wall around that double canal: a Celtic Ramp because that is the name for this defence work. An almost complete native Roman settlement has been excavated here, dating between around 50 years BC and 250 AD. However, around the middle of the 3rd century, the Weerter area was deserted. Their cemeteries were left behind: the corresponding burial ground was excavated under the current football pitches about 200 m north of the settlement. Otherwise we don't know all that much, but it is striking that the Oude Laarderweg followed the building line of the Roman houses. So, this road dates to the Late Iron Age!

And this will also make you think ... a deposit of imported bronze dishes from the late 2nd or 3rd century was found here. Such a find suggests that it must have been a special place ... And it still is because Molenakker is a residential area where you can still live well. And luckily you don't need fortifications.

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NOTE: The location of the spear is opposite the house with address Oude Laarderweg 9. The spear stands at the entrance of the cycle path.

TIP: This location is part of the archaeological experience route on the island of Weert and Weert archaelogical cycle route the island and its spheres.   


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