From March 2025
‘Rijkdommen van ver'(Wealth from afar)
The exhibition shows special exotic finds found in Wijchen and the surrounding area, such as beads, gemstones, gold, coins and glassware. Recent excavations at the Oude Klapstraat in Wijchen confirm what has become increasingly clear in recent years: Wijchen was an important regional center in the early Middle Ages. After the Romans, the Merovingians, a Frankish people, came to Wijchen. They stay here, as evidenced by a large burial field that has already been found earlier. Numerous special finds show that the Merovingians lived here and that a special trade flow arose.
Some of the objects found come from far, very far away. Almandin, a red gemstone, travels thousands of kilometers from India to Wijchen. Beads, for example, come from the Mediterranean or Scandinavia. Who took these items and how did they come into contact with Wijchen residents?
Step into the mysterious world of the Merovingians.