@article { VIOR002-001,
	year = {2006},
	title = {Steentijd in de Kempen. Prospectie, kartering en waardering van het laat-paleolithisch en mesolithisch erfgoed},
	publisher = {VIOE},
	volume = {2},
	journal = {VIOE-Rapporten},
	url = {https://oar.onroerenderfgoed.be/publicaties/VIOR/2/VIOR002-001.pdf},
	abstract = {The Campine area (‘Kempen’) has for some 
time past been known for its large quantity of Final 
Palaeolithic and Mesolithic sites. Archaeological 
fieldwork of the last few years has revealed that these 
sites are rich in artefact numbers and sometimes 
very extensive. Most, however, are severely affected 
by (sub-)recent human impact on the landscape. 
In the undisturbed - mostly wooded - areas, by 
contrast, possible artefact scatters are invisible. Until 
recently, therefore, these areas were considered unfit 
for archaeological survey. This article presents a 
systematic survey of these landscapes with appropriate 
drilling campaigns, using drills of 20 cm diameter 
and screens with a 3mm mesh. The goal of the 
project is to systematically assess the archaeological 
value of the Campine region in order to select sites 
for protection. This program should also allow for 
a better prediction of archaeological potential in 
infrastructure or land management operations. 
The project had two phases. The first phase 
took place in 2001 and consisted of 
1) the inventory 
of known sites (including input into the Central 
Archaeological Inventory), 
2) the re-localisation in 
the field of a selection of these sites, and 
3) a survey 
for new sites. The latter only took place in areas 
where good preservation conditions were likely, i.e. 
places with more or less intact (podsolic) soil profiles, 
mostly in forests. This approach appeared to be quite 
successful. In areas selected on the basis of their 
geomorphologic and topographical characteristics, 
drilling often delivered artefacts. As such, a series of 
formerly unknown sites could be detected. They are 
well-preserved under vegetation covers and mostly 
situated in specific geographical contexts: on high dry 
sandy soils next to (former) open water (river or fen), 
providing new insights into prehistoric land use. 
During the second phase, an assessment of potentially valuable sites took place. In the summers of 2002 
and 2003, five selected site complexes were screened 
systematically: Ravels-Witgoor, Opglabbeek-Ruiterskuilen/Schaapsven/Turfven, Lommel-Maatheide, 
Lommel-Molse Nete, and Arendonk-Korhaan. These 
locations were selected because of their archaeological 
potential and the variety of management situations, 
i.e. from acutely threatened sites to locations in normally well-protected nature reserves. On each of these 
sites, several hectares were systematically sampled in 
a 5 by 6 meter grid. This approach provided sufficient 
information without destroying the sites in any way. 
One of the striking results of the assessment phase is 
that the sites are in no way restricted to isolated artefact scatters representing single occupations. Rather, 
they contain chains of scatters over hundreds, if not 
thousands of meters, generally along open waters. 
In all, the study provided new knowledge on the 
location, preservation, wealth, extension, and nature 
of Final Palaeolithic and Mesolithic site complexes 
in the Campine area, and presents a new approach 
that can be used for further systematic surveys of 
prehistoric flint scatters in Flanders in order to better protect this very vulnerable part of the archaeological heritage.},
	keywords = {},
	author = {Van Gils, , Marijn and De Bie, , Marc}
}

