The Netherlands is home to an abundance of Second World War archaeology. Unlike well-developed re... more The Netherlands is home to an abundance of Second World War archaeology. Unlike well-developed research agendas in other countries such as the UK, Dutch modern conflict archaeology is still fledgling. There is copious interest in the material remains of the period, which is exemplified by popular bunker exhibitions, battlefield tours, and enthusiast weblogs. Archaeologists working for commercial units have also started taking an interest in the period, resulting in promising research projects. However, this wide array of knowledge needs to be consolidated and expanded within a unified research programme. In the endeavour to argue for this integrated effort, the research potential of archaeological traces of the Second World War in the Netherlands is examined, along with their cultural importance and the methodological approaches to studying them. After this inventory and classification of the archaeological archive, its research potential is demonstrated with three in-depth case studies. In the growing field of modern conflict archaeology, it is hoped that this discussion document offers encouragement to build towards a coordinated approach to better understanding Second World War conflict sites in the Netherlands.
The Netherlands is home to an abundance of Second World War archaeology. Unlike well-developed re... more The Netherlands is home to an abundance of Second World War archaeology. Unlike well-developed research agendas in other countries such as the UK, Dutch modern conflict archaeology is still fledgling. There is copious interest in the material remains of the period, which is exemplified by popular bunker exhibitions, battlefield tours, and enthusiast weblogs. Archaeologists working for commercial units have also started taking an interest in the period, resulting in promising research projects. However, this wide array of knowledge needs to be consolidated and expanded within a unified research programme. In the endeavour to argue for this integrated effort, the research potential of archaeological traces of the Second World War in the Netherlands is examined, along with their cultural importance and the methodological approaches to studying them. After this inventory and classification of the archaeological archive, its research potential is demonstrated with three in-depth case studies. In the growing field of modern conflict archaeology, it is hoped that this discussion document offers encouragement to build towards a coordinated approach to better understanding Second World War conflict sites in the Netherlands.
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