Report by Alekhya Chavan
Excavations by the Medel Industrial Estate in Tiel, Netherlands have unearthed a 4000-year-old sanctuary dedicated to the sun.
Several mounds (small, raised hills or elevations) in the sanctuary uncovered alignments of different paths with the sun’s movements during the summer and winter solstices.
This alignment shows the importance of celestial patterns (The word “celestial” means objects or occurrences that are associated with or found in the sky or outer space) by the builders of the sanctuary, similar to the Stonehenge (prehistoric stone monument) in England.
During the excavations, researchers discovered artifacts and offerings that threw light on the sanctuary’s rituals and practices.
Some of the ritual offerings discovered were animal skeletons, human skulls, and a bronze spearhead. These items were deposited in the openings of the sanctuary, where sunlight would pass during the sun’s solicities.
This finding shows that the sanctuary was an importance place for the people of Netherlands. They possibly celebrated special occasions and performed rituals at this place.
The pathways leading to the sanctuary had rows of poles. The largest mound contained the remains of men, women, and children, indicating that it served as an active burial site for nearly 800 years.
Archaeologists also found a glass bead from Iraq, showing the existence of trade networks reaching over 5000 kilometers.
Apart from the above findings, artifacts such as antiquities (tools or objects of past) from different ages, including the Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman Age, and the Middle Ages, have also been discovered in this region.