D14 Eexterhalte

Latitude:
53° 0' 6.32 N
Longitude:
6° 43' 49.8 E
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Images

Image of D14 Eexterhalte (Hunebed) by LesHamilton

Stone fragments showing evidence of drill holes where one of D14’s capstones was broken up in antiquity.

Image credit: Les Hamilton
LesHamilton
LesHamilton Aug 24, 2013
Image of D14 Eexterhalte (Hunebed) by LesHamilton

The sheer size of Hunebed D14-Eexterhalte is apparent in this elevated view as a number of visitors walk by.

Image credit: Les Hamilton
LesHamilton
LesHamilton Aug 24, 2013
Image of D14 Eexterhalte (Hunebed) by Billy Fear

I came across diagrams and comments by this author at a few places. Shame I could not read all of it. It seemed amusing yet knowledgeable.

Image credit: Billy Fear
Billy Fear
Billy Fear Feb 18, 2009
Image of D14 Eexterhalte (Hunebed) by sam

little scrolls – these were at quite a few of the sites, and seemed to be a combination of history and spell/prayer.

Image credit: sam
sam
sam Jul 30, 2007

Articles

D14 Eexterhalte

Nucleus
Nucleus Jul 21, 2018

D14 Eexterhalte is one of the Hunebed giants (18m x 4.5m) with originally 9 capstones (6 still in place). Fragements with drillholes of one capstone lies in the western end. Also the entrance can clearly be traced and 7 kerb stones still exists.

As the Hunebed has its own car park, approach is very easy. Bring some snacks and something to drink with you, sit down and enjoy this lovely place!

Visited July 2018

D14 Eexterhalte

LesHamilton
LesHamilton Aug 24, 2013

Visited: September 5, 2012

With a length of 18 metres, D14-Eexterhalte numbers amongst the largest of the hunebedden. This hunebed lies close to the N33/N34 ‘Park and Ride’ just to the west of Gieten (roundabout at top right on map). To walk from here to the site of the hunebed (takes about 40 minutes), follow the pedestrian underpass to the west of the N34, then the foot/cycle path that flanks the highway south for about 600 metres and turn right on to Verlengde Asserstraat. Continue for just over a kilometre till the intersection with Stationsstraat. Turn right (north) up this road and walk on for 200 metres till the field gives way, on the right hand side, to a small area of parkland with oak trees. Hunebed D14-Eexterhalte lies here.

The names ‘Eexterhalte’ and ‘Stationstraat’ hark back to the days when trains from Assen to Stadskanaal stopped at a station here. The trains are now long gone, and the former station is now the reception building at ‘De Schaopsvolte’ campsite, just across the road from the hunebed.

Traces of holes can be seen in some of D14’s capstones, drilled centuries ago in an effort to split them using either gunpowder or wedges. In the Middle Ages, many hunebeds were wholly or partially destroyed in this way, their fragments being used in the building of churches or reinforcing coastal defences. In 1734, Drenthe issued a protection order on the remaining hunebedden, making it an offence to remove or damage their stones. Originally with a complement of nine capstones, only six remain on D14, the eastern three having long ago been broken up: two fragments bearing drill marks now lie inside the grave chamber.

D14 was excavated and restored by Van Giffen in 1927 when over twenty thousand fragments of pottery were unearthed. More recently, the monument was further restored in the 1960s and in 1996.

A short video about D14-Eexterhalte can be viewed on YouTube.

D14 Eexterhalte

Jane
Jane Jul 29, 2007

D14 at Eexterhalte, near Eext and Gieten villages, is one of the bigger hunebedden, with six giant capstones all still up, a line of entrance stones and seven big kerbstones marking out the original shape. In a tree-lined clearing with it own parking space this must be a magnet for summer picnickers.

Sites within 20km of D14 Eexterhalte

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