Slijpsteen van Slenaken, Neolithic grinding stone site in Slenaken, Netherlands.
Slijpsteen van Slenaken is a Neolithic grinding stone located in a forested area west of Roebelsbos. It sits between De Grensweg and De Gilverderweg near the Dutch-Belgian border and once served to polish stone axes for early inhabitants.
The stone was discovered in 1953 by an amateur archaeologist and dates to around 4000 BC. It reveals how early inhabitants of this region created tools essential to their survival and way of life.
The stone shows how prehistoric people made and refined their tools through skilled techniques. Visitors can observe how water and natural stone resources were essential to daily survival in this region.
The stone is accessible via marked hiking paths along the Mergellandroute near the Gulp river. Walking to it through the forest trails offers the best way to experience the setting and surroundings.
Natural erosion and water movement displaced the stone several meters from its original position near the Gulp river. This ongoing process demonstrates how rivers continuously reshape the landscape and move objects across it.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.