The area between Schipborg and Anloo, known as De Strubben/Kniphorstbos, is the largest designated archaeological monument in the Netherlands. In addition to two hunebeds (D7 and D8), there are countless burial mounds and prehistoric cart tracks.
D8 can most easily be reached from the road between Schipborg and Anloo where there is a parking area on the right hand side a few kilometres north of Anloo. From there you follow the sandy footpath and after 500 metres you reach a burial mound on your right with a stone on top. This was once the site of a gallows (‘galgenberg’). Follow the path for a few hundred metres to a junction, bear right for about 20 metres and the hunebed is on your left. The hunebed can also be reached by bicycle from Annen via the tunnel under the N34 highway.
The hunebed has four lintels resting neatly on eight uprights and two keystones. One portal stone is still in place. The position of the second was marked by Van Giffen with an impression made of cement.
Visit of Professor van Giffen in 1918
Van Giffen described this hunebed as being in “the woods of Heer Kniphorst”. He called it D8 and judged it to be “in very good condition” although he thought that it had been “badly repaired between 1848 and 1875”. Nevertheless it was – and still is – a fine and complete example of a hunebed. In 1871 it was presented to the Province by the owner of the woodland and the estate, Mr. C.E. Kniphorst. He is commemorated in the name of the area which is now an archaeological reserve.
(Source: Atlas of “De Hunebedden in Nederland”, dr.A.E.van Giffen)
For more information about this and other hunebeds in Drenthe see
www.hunebedden.nl and www.hunebeddeninfo.nl
Photo impression by Davado
D8 on old postcards
Text Hans Meijer
Translation Alun Harvey
Photo gallery Davado
