Thoroughly excavated and well-analyzed cult sites are essential for comprehending the evolving and diverse ritual behaviors of different pre-Christian societies. However, while the Nordic world has numerous well-documented pre-Christian cult sites, the Netherlands, northern Germany, and Britain have significantly fewer. This scarcity makes the recent discovery of an early medieval pagan cult site in the Netherlands a major breakthrough for archaeologists who specialize in the study of ancient religious practices.
Details of this site were disclosed in a newly published article in Medieval Archaeology.
"Recent metal-detected finds near the hamlet of Hezingen (the Netherlands) prompted archaeological excavations that have brought to light the remains of a 7th-century open-air cult site possibly connected with immigrants," the study authors noted. "Gold coins and jewelry were deposited there at regular intervals over a period of about 100 years. Based on the phosphate analysis, it is likely that animals were sacrificed there as well. Use of the site ceased around the year AD 700, at least half a century earlier than the formal Christianization of the area."
It would be tempting to project knowledge of pre-Christian pagan sites in Nordic regions onto the broader Germanic-Nordic world. However, Nordic paganism was not a monolithic belief system, and the religious practices of different Germanic groups varied over time and across regions.
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The Hezingen Finds, and their Possible Meaning
The discovery of Hezingen in the eastern Netherlands offers researchers a rare opportunity to gain insights into local cult rituals as they were practiced on the eve of the Christianization of northern Europe. Excavations took place in 2020 and 2021, after metal detectorists unearthed several gold and silver coins at the site.
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Fig 5 Hezingen, finds distribution at Sites 2 and 3. (Jan-Willem De Kort et al, Diobolgeldæ/Medieval Archaeology)
"The research was also born out of necessity, as the site was threatened by nature development,” explained study lead author Dr. Jan-Willem de Kort, an archaeologist from the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands, in an interview with Phys.org. “This would involve removing the topsoil to encourage the original vegetation (heath) to come back."
The excavation revealed that Hezingen consisted of a large circular structure with wooden posts enclosing an unusually shaped building and a probable Herrenhof (an elite leader’s residence) dating back to the sixth century.
Three primary sites within Hezingen were identified: Site 1, which contained only a single gold coin; Site 2, which housed 24 fragmented and intact tremisses (gold coins), a gold pendant, and a silver earring; and Site 3, which yielded additional coins and a small kidney-shaped pendant.
Additionally, 17 postholes were found. Analyzing these artifacts and structures, researchers concluded that the site played a significant role in religious rituals during a critical transitional period preceding Christianization. The alignment of the wooden posts with the spring and autumn equinoxes suggests the site was used for seasonal ceremonies, likely connected to sowing and harvesting.
"The four rows of poles are [aligned] exactly east-west," Dr. de Kort noted. "Because of the high elevation, the sun rises here at the spring equinox exactly in the east (this is easy to check with solar panel software these days)."
Overhead view of the excavation site at Hezingen, Netherlands. (Jan-Willem De Kort et al, Diobolgeldæ/Medieval Archaeology)
It is probable that ceremonies held during the equinoxes sought to appease deities and ensure bountiful harvests.
“The gods that may have been worshipped in Hezingen can be learned from a Saxon baptismal promise, handed down in a 9th-century codex,” the study authors explained in their Medieval Archaeologyarticle. “This vow mentions the gods UUôden (Wodan), Thunær (Donar) and Saxnōte (Saxnot), who the reader of the promise must renounce.”
The researchers found no evidence to indicate that any particular gods were worshipped by cult members, or that supernatural forces had been channeled. But in addition to the main gods of the Norse pantheon, local divinities, nature spirits and ancestors were all worshipped at that time as well, opening up a broad range of possibilities for the meaning of the sacrifices that were offered.
The Devil’s Money
While the specific gods worshipped remain unknown, medieval missionary texts mention that, in order to convert to Christianity, locals had to renounce their native deities and cease making offerings of diobolgeldæ—'devil’s money'—at such cult sites.
The presence of valuable gold and silver coins, along with other rare artifacts, indicates that the site was likely frequented by regional elites, as more common folk wouldn’t have been in a position to give away such valuable metals (if they actually possessed any).
Fig. 6: Gold coins from Hezingen with gold content analysis. Most (63) are tremisses inscribed with the Dorestat moneyer’s name, Madelinus. Only two are genuine, while the rest are lower-quality imitations. Gold content declined over time, measured by specific gravity. Original coin (top), with decreasing purity from left to right. (Jan-Willem De Kort et al, Diobolgeldæ/Medieval Archaeology)
"I think that this cult site was mainly used by local elites to emphasize their own status, and of course, you do that pre-eminently with valuables,” Dr. Kort remarked. “The finds at the other cult sites are probably more the result of personal offerings and thus less precious."
This site also sheds light on the gradual Christianization of the region.
"Missionaries such as Plechelmus and Lebuinus are known to have carried out missionary work in these regions around 760 and, in addition, the first churches (like Oldenzaal) were consecrated around the same time," Dr. de Kort stated.
What makes Hezingen particularly intriguing is its abandonment in the late seventh or early eighth century, prior to the widespread adoption of Christianity in the region. This suggests that local elites may have been among the first to convert to the new religion, leading to the site's eventual disuse. The cult’s most committed believers may have been disappointed by the (lack of) results that their sacrifices produced, thus leaving them open to the fresh promises of a rapidly expanding monotheistic spiritual belief system.
Top image: Selected artifacts from 7th-Century Pagan cult Site at Hezingen. Source: Jan-Willem De Kort et al, Diobolgeldæ/Medieval Archaeology
By Nathan Falde
