Archaeologists have found a skeleton at a dike along the Waal in the Betuwe village of Oosterhout that is about two thousand years old. The Rivierenland water board commissioned archaeological research at the dyke, because it is believed that remains from Roman times or the early Middle Ages could be found there. A Roman farmyard has also recently been uncovered in that neighborhood.
The skeleton lay in a grave about 1 meter deep in the ground. The archaeologists also found a large lump of rust near the skeleton, according to the water board. The lump of rust is brought to a laboratory, so that it can be determined by, among other things, X-rays what is under the rust and how old the found object is.
It is still unclear whether the remains of a man or a woman are found. Investigation must show why the person died and why the body was located near the dike.
The water board will strengthen the Waaldijk between Overbetuwe and Sprok near Nijmegen over a length of 15 kilometers. Archaeologists expect more discoveries to be made in the area.
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