Archeological items from the Middle Ages discovered during sewer works in Leiden

Archeological items from the Middle Ages were discovered during work on the sewers by the Papengracht in the city center of Leiden. Archeologists found a “treasure of historic items,” like septic tanks, cellars, wooden wickerwork, pottery, and a vanished alley, Erfgoed Leiden en Omstreken reported on Thursday. The findings can be seen on Saturday, June 14, in the Tempelzaal of the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, during the National Archeology Days.

The archeologists made the discovery in collaboration with Schouls, a contractors company that was working on replacing the sewer between the Langebrug and the Breestraat.

According to Erfgoed Leiden en Omstreken, the excavations bring a view of "medieval Leiden unexpectedly close.” The Papengracht was constructed as a street at the end of the 17th century, but the area had been inhabited since the 11th or 12th century.

The oldest buildings were on the corner of Papengracht and Langebrug. Archeologists found a heavy wall of monastery bricks at the location. These are large bricks of around 30 centimeters in length. They were likely a part of the Lombardenhuis, a former count's fiefdom from the 13th century. The Lombarenhuis was later moved to what is now the Schoolsteeg.