This pile of stones stands a little out of the way, in the middle of an area known as the Kamp Akkers or Eexter Es. Even the small track leading to it is not easy to find. The best place to start is the street called Venakkers in a newer area of houses in the southwest of Eext. Almost at the end of this street a sandy path on the left leads to the hunebed.
This hunebed was always small, but now only 3 lintels, 3 upright side-stones and 1 keystone remain. The locations of the missing uprights were marked by Van Giffen but the marks are no longer clearly visible as they have disappeared beneath the surrounding undergrowth. The stones at the front are overgrown with lichen. In fact, hunebed stones in general seem to offer a suitable surface for lichen to grow and you will come across many examples. The bright yellow species here is called Candelariella Vitellina.
Visit of Prof. Van Giffen in 1918
The famous Professor Van Giffen visited the hunebed in 1918, describing it as “On a wild piece of land in the Kampakkers near Eext, overgrown with shrubs” (Van Giffen thought they were elderflower or rowan). The 3 lintels on the south side were supported by 3 uprights but on the north they lay on the ground as the uprights were missing. Only one keystone remained standing, although it is possible that there was another one lying under the ground. There was a later excavation in 1952 but nothing more was discovered. The province acquired ownership of the monument in 1872 as a gift from the people of Eext.
(Source: Atlas of “De Hunebedden in Nederland”, Dr. A. E. van Giffen, 1925)
For more information about this and other hunebeds in Drenthe see www.hunebedden.nl and www.hunebeddeninfo.nl
Text: Hans Meijer
Photography: Davado
Translation Alun Harvey
