Vom Schlamm ins Museum
Hanz spent most of his life underground. Literally. For centuries he lay hidden in the mud until, in 1998, amateur archaeologist John ten Pierick decided to take his metal detector to the grounds of De Sypel swimming pool. Step by step, he searched the area. And then the device started beeping.
Half a metre underground lay Hanz, waiting. Old, John realised immediately. Very old. At least 500 years old. And in Hanz’s case, even much older. What he had found later turned out to be one of the most important relics from Harderwijk’s Hanseatic era.
A royal past
Little horses like Hanz were made in the Middle Ages on the orders of Haakon V, the then King of Norway. They were used to help determine the value of coins. So Hanz is not just a decorative figurine – he was a serious working tool at a time when Harderwijk was flourishing as a Hanseatic city.
Incidentally, he’s been through a fair bit. One of his legs once broke off – and instead of simply being thrown away, it was just pushed to one side. Hanz still gets annoyed about it.
At home in Harderwijk
The Rijksmuseum van Oudheden was desperate to acquire Hanz. But John felt that he belonged in Harderwijk. He sold the figure to the local council, which in turn loaned it to the Stadsmuseum Harderwijk. A grand gesture – and big news for the town.
The City Museum celebrated its opening in style. No fewer than 16,000 copies of Hanz were produced. Primary school pupils were invited to paint them, and the best one was displayed next to him in the museum at the opening. He has been living there for years now. And he’s happy to be there.
Harderwijk through Hanz’s eyes
As the town’s oldest resident, Hanz has seen more than anyone else. He knew the town as a thriving Hanseatic city, saw merchants and sailors arriving from all corners of the globe, and survived the great fire of 31 July 1503 – albeit only just. He saw the Grote Kerk grow, the town walls disappear, and the streets later lit up by LED lamps embedded in the road surface. And he sees how Harderwijk is preparing for the International Hanseatic Days in 2031.
His advice? Head to the tourist information office on the market square, stroll past the Grote Kerk, and follow the illuminated section of the old city wall through the streets. And, of course, just pop along to the City Museum to see him. He’ll be waiting for you there.
