Leiden’s History Rewritten by Discovery of Ancient Wooden Poles

Archaeologists in Leiden, Netherlands uncovered approximately forty wooden poles dating to 650 to 900 AD during construction of a bicycle storage facility under an Albert Heijn supermarket. The find pushes back the known history of settlement in the area by as much as 350 years, challenging the previous understanding that the first residents arrived around the year 1000.

The poles suggest people lived on the southern bank of the Rhine River during the early Middle Ages, despite the area being prone to flooding. Evidence from the 850s already hinted at the existence of three settlements named Leython, meaning "at the waters", in the area, a claim now bolstered by the physical evidence.

While historical records mention these early settlements, archaeological finds from this period have been scarce. Researchers note that a major flood likely destroyed the original settlement, and permanent habitation didn’t resume until the 12th century. The impact of the discovery on the bicycle storage facility’s opening, originally planned for later this year, remains unclear.