Stable isotope analysis of charred Bronze Age emmer wheat and barley excavated in the northwest Netherlands reveals high values of δ15N. Cultivation of the same cereal species under controlled... Show moreStable isotope analysis of charred Bronze Age emmer wheat and barley excavated in the northwest Netherlands reveals high values of δ15N. Cultivation of the same cereal species under controlled circumstances on the appropriate substrates provided baselines indicating that the prehistoric cereal fields must have been manured. Reconstruction of the size of the arable fields and livestock suggests that animal dung cannot have been the only source of fertilizer. Application of household waste and mud from ditches is considered as well as a possible effect from burning stubble. Growing of pulses was not practiced and therefore this method of ameliorating the soil has to be left out of the question. The outcome of the study presented here is that the Bronze Age farmers of the northwest Netherlands used several means to maintain the fertility of their arable land and that they may have adapted their strategy according to circumstances. Show less
Fontijn, D.R.; Louwen, A.J.; Bourgeois, Q.; Smits, L.; Linde, C. van der 2018
In the natural reserves of the Veluwe in the centre of the Netherlands, there are hundreds of mounds that are registered as ‘prehistoric burial mounds’ (Fontijn 2011, table 1.1). Some are protected... Show moreIn the natural reserves of the Veluwe in the centre of the Netherlands, there are hundreds of mounds that are registered as ‘prehistoric burial mounds’ (Fontijn 2011, table 1.1). Some are protected as National Heritage, but many are not. Only a small part has ever seen professional archaeological investigation, and there are many for which no more is known than that they are likely to represent ‘prehistoric burial sites’. This applies particularly to mounds in the municipality of Apeldoorn, where large numbers are known to exist and fortunately protected as heritage, but where in most cases not much is known on their dating, nature or potential significance as source of knowledge on the past. This article presents the results of a fieldwork campaign where three newly discovered, small barrows were investigated that are part of a much larger barrow landscape on which so far nothing was known. In spite of their small size and the fact that some were heavily damaged by forest ploughing, the research yielded detailed information on their use history and the social and ritual significance that they had in the Bronze Age. Even the most inconspicuous mound, of which it was initially seriously doubted whether it was a prehistoric monument, appears to contain the remains of many special prehistoric features. It is argued that this small group of three barrows dates to the beginning of the Middle Bronze Age, the period between the 18th and 15th centuries BC and probably represents what was perceived as one ‘community of ancestors’ among a larger ancestral whole. There are indications that it originated around a location that had an older – Late Neolithic – history. It is suggested that this monument had a special role and was the focus of ceremonial activities the likes of which have so far not been detected in the Netherlands: the deposition of loads of stones and pottery in a pit row directed at the location where a barrow would eventually be constructed. Deceased were buried at two locations nearby, both of whom were also covered by mounds. These were collective graves, in which many deceased of both sexes and all ages were buried and no clear distinctions between deceased were emphasized in the burial rituals. There are similarities in the mode of interment in both mounds, and we suggest these barrows are each other’s successors. The fieldwork at the Wieselseweg shows the high potential small-scale research of inconspicuous and damaged burial mounds can have to further our knowledge on the prehistoric legacy of the Netherlands. Show less
In 1956 and 1957 prof. A.E. van Giffen, the nestor of Dutch Archaeology, excavated two burial mounds near Oostwoud, on a parcel named ‘Tuithoorn’ in de province of Noord-Holland. These mounds... Show moreIn 1956 and 1957 prof. A.E. van Giffen, the nestor of Dutch Archaeology, excavated two burial mounds near Oostwoud, on a parcel named ‘Tuithoorn’ in de province of Noord-Holland. These mounds appeared to have been erected in the Late Neolithic between 2500 and 1900 cal BC. They contained at least 12 well preserved skeletons dating to the Late Neolithic and the Early Bronze Age. Until today these are the only burial mounds from that period in West-Frisia, moreover, they contained the only skeletons from that period in the area. Yet, apart from a few brief overviews the data have not been published. The present article is an attempt to re-analyse the data of the investigations by Van Giffen, but also of later research by M. de Weerd in 1963 and 1966, and by J.D. Van der Waals in 1977 and J.N. Lanting in 1978 in the same mounds. In the framework of the NWO-project Farmers of the Coast, the first author undertook the task to collect the dispersed data and to try to unravel the sequences of burial. Aided by the Leiden University Bakels fund, and a fund of the Province of Noord-Halland, we also had the opportunity to sample the bones for DNA and isotopes, and to study the pathology of the skeletons. Some of the analyses are not yet finished, but here we publish the excavation data using the original field drawings and day notes, and much of the original photography. We have done this in some detail because the site is one of the most important in its kind in the Netherlands and because it will play an important role in the discussion about Bell Beaker mobility and genetics in the near future. We used already some of the skeletal and DNA data in this article, but more detailed studies are following. Show less
Rooijen, G.K. van; Jacobs, L.; Braekmans, D.; Sojc, N. 2017
Figurines – or terracotta made figurative objects – are a frequently encountered material category in Antiquity. Their importance can be directly linked to an expression of socio-cultural phenomena... Show moreFigurines – or terracotta made figurative objects – are a frequently encountered material category in Antiquity. Their importance can be directly linked to an expression of socio-cultural phenomena. To understand the practices and techniques applied in the production of terracotta figurines from Akragas (Agrigento, Sicily), an archaeological experiment was carried out with the aim to reconstruct the full chaîne opératoire. This so-called coroplastic experiment focused on the large variety of female figurines from Akragas dated from the 6th-5th century BC. These form the majority of mould-made objects, which were placed as votives in high numbers at sanctuaries and were also applied as a grave gift. The demand for figurines to be dedicated and the flourishing business of terracotta production in Akragas can be explained by the presence of several nearby high-quality mineral resources, in combination with the craftsmanship of the local workshops. This availability sets the conditions for a strong tradition, resulting in a variety of moulded figurines. In this study, several clays and techniques are selected to re-create the production process with the aim of elucidating the technological capacity and choices made by potters and artisans. The outcome of tests with local clays showed that the materials nearby found fit the workability requirements, but also that by mixing several clays the colour of the figurines could be manipulated. Several generations of a figurine’s genealogy re-created in the experiment show how details fade and explain the common solution to replace the head. The use of different tools, such as round sticks as well as metal blades could be distinguished by an interpretative approach to the traces on reworked figurines. The development of characteristics in both design and technique shows a local style, while moulds and figurines were exchanged with other Sicilian towns, such as Selinous (Selinunte, Sicily). However, the appearance, as well as specific production techniques, shows an influence of a different craft tradition, one which points to an eastern Greek origin. In order to distinguish the technological choices and their effect on stylistic developments, a technical approach was chosen to research the production technique and the use of materials by the workshops in Akragas. Show less
In recent years, the creation of computer-based archaeological reconstructions has become increasingly widespread. The attempt to visually “reconstruct” relics of ancient architecture, however, is... Show moreIn recent years, the creation of computer-based archaeological reconstructions has become increasingly widespread. The attempt to visually “reconstruct” relics of ancient architecture, however, is not a novelty of the digital age. Although little research has been done so far in this direction, taking an historical perspective on reconstructions of archaeological evidence over the centuries offers some reflections on the use and legacy of modern 3D visualizations in archaeology. This contribution discusses a selection of archaeological reconstructions (both drawings and 3D physical models) of Roman and Greek cities in the early and late modern period, focussing especially on the motivations, the aims and the methods that guided such endeavours. By doing so, it will shed light on how much the reconstructed past was in fact the result of a re-elaboration of present needs, thoughts and beliefs. Moreover, it will trace the path towards the formation of a scientific method of archaeological inquiry, which includes the elaboration of ways to assess the reliability of the reconstruction. Show less