5. Three large flint axes from Collendoorn near Hardenberg (ca. 3450–2750 B.C.)

Here you can see three large flint axes from Collendoorn, near Hardenberg. They were found in 2022 and date from the Funnel Beaker Culture period, between 3400 and 2750 BC. That was more than five thousand years ago.

The axes were found close together, on the edge of a wet area in the Overijsselse Vecht valley. No traces of a house or a grave have been found. That is why archaeologists believe that the axes

were deliberately left here. Perhaps they were offerings to the gods, either as a token of gratitude or a plea for help in securing a good harvest or fertility.

The axes are strikingly large and were likely made in northern Germany or southern Scandinavia. They are too large to be practical for everyday use, and no clear signs of use have been found. This makes it all the more likely that they had a special, ritual significance.

Finds like these are rare in the Netherlands. They show that prehistoric people not only made practical items, but also deliberately left valuable objects behind in the landscape, in places that held special meaning for them.

If you'd like to learn more about the Funnel Beaker period, click the "More info" button.

The next listening point is: 6. Four gold neck rings from Olst.