Period 2 - The hunters-gatherers

Already 50,000 years ago, during the last ice age, the first hunter-gatherers roamed. Tools made of flint have been found in Kesterheide and Lombergbos. The pine-birch forest that conquers the tundra after the ice ages gradually evolves into a deciduous forest. The open plain transforms into a closed, wooded forest.

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Stone Age <10,000 B.C. to 5,000 B.C.

The first traces of humans in Gooik and the surrounding area date back to the last ice age, around 70,000 years ago. The climate is cold, with only a few months of the year when temperatures rise above freezing. The existing landscape consists of mosses, small shrubs, and a few trees. Herds of reindeer, bison, and mammoths roam the open plains.

The population density is very low. People live off game and collect edible plants and fruits. These hunter-gatherers do not have a permanent residence but continually move in small groups. They always live in temporary camps near a spring and on well-drained hills like Kesterheide. For their construction, they use everything that can be found in nature.

About 10,000 years ago, weather conditions began to change, leading to a milder climate. The ice melts, and sea levels rise again. Due to the temperature increase, the already existing vegetation disappears, making room for forests mainly of conifers and birches. The open plains transform into a more closed landscape. The population of larger animals gives way to smaller ones.

Trage Wegen