Volunteers at the preHistorisch Dorp (prehistoric village) are spending their autumn break building a new hut. It will be constructed almost entirely from natural materials and reflects the hunter-gatherer era, a historical period that will be highlighted in the open-air museum starting in 2026.
This is a reconstruction of a typical hut from the Mesolithic, the period after the last Ice Age—roughly 10,000 years ago. Characteristic of such a hut is the use of wooden branches for the foundation, bundles of straw that together form a waterproof roof, and the unique knots made of willow branches. “We work exclusively with materials that come directly from nature,” explains project leader Anton van den Heuvel. “Imagine: a hunter has only a tiny flint axe, and that’s all he has to make do with,” he continues.
Cheating
No drill or nail is involved. However, there are a few minor “cheats”; for example, the builders use a saw to cut through thick logs, instead of the traditional chisel. Van den Heuvel also has to admit to using a piece of tension strap: “I could use a piece of rope for this, but this is just a bit easier.” Volunteer Fred van Wattingen offers a reason: “If we build the authentic way, it will take us a really long time. And the goal is to finish this in a week.”
With the hut, the Prehistoric Village is dedicating extra attention to the hunter-gatherer era. This is all part of larger expansion plans; a new section dedicated entirely to this period is expected to open in 2026.
Source: Studio040
For Eindhoven News: Lila Mehrez
