GROBBENDONK
Belgium.
A Gallo-Roman
site discovered in 1908 and interpreted as being a villa.
More thorough excavations, begun in 1956, show that
it was a vicus. In the course of these excavations a well
was found, foundations of masonry buildings (of which
no plan has been yet published), quantities of potsherds,
and a variety of objects—including iron tools and surgical
instruments. From a close study of the plentiful terra
sigillata, it is clear that the vicus dates to the first half
of the 1st c. A.D., that it was at the height of its expansion in the reign of Claudius, and that it remained inhabited up to about the middle of the 3d c. In 1956
a tomb was discovered near the vicus and in it some
fairly rich grave gifts consisting of 23 pieces—terra
sigillata, pitchers, goblets of glazed ware, and a glass
bottle. The tomb dates from the end of the 2d c. or
the beginning of the 3d. Very probably it was originally
covered over with a tumulus, now leveled. Close to
this rich tomb was found a small necropolis. Its tombs,
which are far poorer, date from the 2d and 3d c.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
J. Mertens, “Gallo-Romeins grafuit
Grobbendonk,”
Arch. Belgica 53 (1961) 14 pp.; M. Bauwens-Lesenne,
Bibliografisch repertorium der oudheidkundige vondsten in de provincie Antwerpen (1965) 54-64; P. Janssens, “Het gallo-romeins grafveldje van
Grobbendonk,”
Noordgouw 6 (1966) 53-71; H. Thoen,
“De Terra Sigillata van Grobbendonk,”
Noordgouw 7
(1967) 105-60.
S. J. DE LAET
