Archaeologists uncover mysterious bone floor in Netherlands

A team of municipal archaeologists has uncovered a rare and mysterious floor made of bones in a fascinating archaeological discovery in the Netherlands. 

The unusual and rare find surfaced during the renovation of a building in Achterdam, a neighborhood in Alkmaar, located in North Holland, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media. 

While conducting the work, a team of local archaeologists uncovered the remains of an old, heavily worn tiled floor. Although such discoveries are not uncommon, the team noticed that in certain areas, the tiles were replaced with bones.

The bones in question are from cattle, specifically metacarpals and metatarsals from the lower limbs, all of which had been cut to the same length. It appears that the bones were used to patch up gaps in the floor, but the reasoning behind this choice and the exact age of the modification remain unclear.

"We were very happy to have the chance to see this bone floor with our own eyes. It is always a privilege to uncover something from a long-gone era and add new information to the history of Alkmaar," said Nancy de Jong in a statement.

Bone flooring of this kind is an extremely rare discovery, though the few known examples generally date back to the 15th century.

As for the newly discovered floor in Alkmaar, researchers are currently working to determine its age.

The bones used were from cattle, specifically metacarpals and metatarsals, which are found in the lower limbs. Each bone had been carefully cut to the same length. It appears that the bones were used to patch up gaps in the floor, though the reasoning behind this choice remains unclear, as does the age of the flooring.

Bone flooring is an extremely rare discovery, and the few known examples typically date back to the 15th century. Researchers are currently investigating the age of the Alkmaar example, but there are questions about its exact dating. The building currently standing on the site was constructed around 1609, though it's possible that it was built on top of an older foundation, a common occurrence in historical architecture.

The archaeologists propose that the bones might have been used for a specific purpose—perhaps because the design suited the function of the building at the time. Alternatively, the use of bones could have been a cost-effective solution to fill gaps in the tiled floor.

By Naila Huseynova