Lingewijk South (2013)

Lingewijk South

Commissioned by engineering firm Inventerra bv. has Transect in January and May 2013, an archaeological preliminary investigation was carried out in the Lingewijk-Zuid plan area in Gorinchem. The reason for the investigation was the application for an environmental permit for the purpose of the remediation and renovation of the residential area. In this context, homes would also be demolished and new construction would take place. Earthmoving would take place, which would disturb the soil and therefore any archaeological remains present in the area.

Conclusions

Based on the preliminary investigation the following conclusions were drawn:

• Based on the desk research, it has been determined that parts of the plan area are highly expected to contain archaeological remains from the Mesolithic to Neolithic periods. These remains are expected in the western part of the plan area, where a fossil river is located in the subsurface (the Gorkum-Arkel ridge). In addition, in the eastern part of the plan area there is a high expectation of finding remains from the Late Iron Age to the Late Middle Ages. This expectation is based on the presence of bank and/or bed deposits of the Linge ridge. However, no studies are known in the immediate vicinity or finds have been made that can provide more information about the possible presence of these archaeological remains in the plan area.
• Based on historical maps it has been established that the plan area has probably always been undeveloped. The oldest consulted map material of the plan area dates from the end of the 18^de century shows arable and pasture land at the location of the plan area. No buildings are indicated on younger maps either, which is why there is a low expectation for the Modern period of finding archaeological (settlement) remains.
• Based on the field research, it has been established that the plan area has always been located in the flood plain of a river. No bank or bed deposits belonging to the Gorkum-Arkel ridge were found in the plan area. No bank deposits of the Linge were found either. Finally, soil disturbances were found in the plan area, varying from 70 cm in the western part to 180 cm –Mv in the eastern part of the plan area.

In conclusion, there was a low expectation for the discovery of archaeological sites, especially for the Mesolithic - Late Middle Ages period. This expectation was mainly based on the lack of bank and bed deposits that were suitable for (pre-)historic habitation from an archaeological perspective. For the Modern Period, there was already a low archaeological expectation based on the desk research.

Advice

Based on the results of the field research, there were no objections to the proposed work in archaeological terms. No additional measures needed to be taken. After all, the expectation was that no archaeological remains would be found in the plan area, since it had been too humid for habitation for a long time.