Kootwijkerzand is a drifting sand area that lies on the western part of the Veluwe. It is the largest drifting sand area in Western Europe. Between the 8th and 11th century there was a village where about 100 to 150 people lived . There was a great demand for iron in the Middle Ages. It was needed to make weapons and tools. To make iron, a lot of charcoal was needed which was produced by chopping down trees.

Due to the cutting of trees and grazing by cattle, the sand began to drift. The village was eventually abandoned in the 11th century and was buried under sand until archaeologists excavated it in the 1970s .

See also: 13 June 2010 - Kootwijkerzand / 3 December 2010 - Kootwijkerzand