Soil hydraulic properties evolve over time as a result of soil formation processes. We investigat... more Soil hydraulic properties evolve over time as a result of soil formation processes. We investigated the rate and circumstances of change in soil hydraulic properties as a result of soil and landscape evolution that took place over a period of a few decades to several thousands of years. To this end, a sediment-soil sequence in which different sandy landscapes and associated soils are preserved was studied with respect to its geomorphological and pedohydrological characteristics. Three stages of soil development ...
To characterize patterns in the taxonomic diversity of parasites infecting the population of Aals... more To characterize patterns in the taxonomic diversity of parasites infecting the population of Aalst, Belgium, between the 12th and 17th centuries. Materials: 14 sediment samples from seven cesspits dated 1100-1700 CE. Methods: Digital light microscopy and Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: We identified eggs of four species of helminths: whipworm (Trichuris trichiura), roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides), Echinostoma fluke and Dicrocoelium fluke. ELISA results for protozoal parasites were negative. Conclusions: Taxonomic diversity of parasite infections remained constant from the 12th to the 17th centuries. Roundworm and whipworm, spread by poor sanitation, were dominant. Two species of zoonotic parasites were also identified, including for the first time ever in the Low Countries the Echinostoma fluke, which may have been spread by eating uncooked freshwater animal foods. Significance: Analysis of sediment samples spanning such a broad chronology (six centuries) from a single city offers the opportunity to track diachronic change, which is rare in paleoparasitological studies. Limitations: We were unable to acquire samples from cesspits dating to the 14th century. Suggestions for further research: Additional data from other Low Countries towns may strengthen the patterns identified in this paper. A similar approach can be used to investigate towns in different regions of the world.
Soil hydraulic properties evolve over time as a result of soil formation processes. We investigat... more Soil hydraulic properties evolve over time as a result of soil formation processes. We investigated the rate and circumstances of change in soil hydraulic properties as a result of soil and landscape evolution that took place over a period of a few decades to several thousands of years. To this end, a sediment-soil sequence in which different sandy landscapes and associated soils are preserved was studied with respect to its geomorphological and pedohydrological characteristics. Three stages of soil development ...
To characterize patterns in the taxonomic diversity of parasites infecting the population of Aals... more To characterize patterns in the taxonomic diversity of parasites infecting the population of Aalst, Belgium, between the 12th and 17th centuries. Materials: 14 sediment samples from seven cesspits dated 1100-1700 CE. Methods: Digital light microscopy and Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: We identified eggs of four species of helminths: whipworm (Trichuris trichiura), roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides), Echinostoma fluke and Dicrocoelium fluke. ELISA results for protozoal parasites were negative. Conclusions: Taxonomic diversity of parasite infections remained constant from the 12th to the 17th centuries. Roundworm and whipworm, spread by poor sanitation, were dominant. Two species of zoonotic parasites were also identified, including for the first time ever in the Low Countries the Echinostoma fluke, which may have been spread by eating uncooked freshwater animal foods. Significance: Analysis of sediment samples spanning such a broad chronology (six centuries) from a single city offers the opportunity to track diachronic change, which is rare in paleoparasitological studies. Limitations: We were unable to acquire samples from cesspits dating to the 14th century. Suggestions for further research: Additional data from other Low Countries towns may strengthen the patterns identified in this paper. A similar approach can be used to investigate towns in different regions of the world.
Het syntheseonderzoek over de vroegmiddeleeuwse nederzetting op The Loop (Sint-Denijs- Westrem, G... more Het syntheseonderzoek over de vroegmiddeleeuwse nederzetting op The Loop (Sint-Denijs- Westrem, Gent) had als doel om de resultaten van zeven verschillende archeologische opgravingen op The Loop, samen te brengen, te uniformiseren en voor het eerst deze dataset als geheel te onderzoeken. De nederzetting op The Loop (Sint-Denijs-Westrem, Gent) werd gesticht in het prille begin van de 7de eeuw en werd continu bewoond tot het midden van de 9de eeuw. De sporen van deze langdurige bewoning verspreiden zich over zo’n 2,5 ha. In totaal kunnen nu elf mogelijke hoofdgebouwen, twee grote bijgebouwen, veertien kleinere bijgebouwen, negentien waterputten, een uitgebreide omgrachting en talrijke andere sporen geïdentificeerd worden. Het bijzondere van deze vroegmiddeleeuwse nederzetting is de schaal waarop ze is vastgestelden opgegraven. Deze schaal is vrij uniek in Vlaanderen. Dendrochronologisch onderzoek van de waterputten zorgde voor een fijn chronologisch kader, waardoor de ontwikkeling van de nederzetting gedurende bijna drie eeuwen nauwgezet gevolgd kan worden. Een dergelijke resolutie was tot nu toe meestal onbereikbaar bij andere archeologisch onderzochte vroegmiddeleeuwse rurale nederzettingen. Volgens onderzoek op de hoofdgebouwen, waterputten en erven, in combinatie met historisch-geografisch en ecologisch onderzoek, werd de nederzetting bewoond door een familiegroep met generatielange, lokale tradities in de bouw van huizen, waterputten en erfinrichting. Het ging om een grotendeels zelfvoorzienende gemeenschap, gebaseerd op gemengde landbouw. Landschappelijk was ze ingebed tussen meersen, akkerland, bos en wastine. De nederzetting op The Loop bestaat in haar beginfases uit één tot twee gelijktijdige erven. Rond het midden van de 8ste eeuw wordt een grootschalige herinrichting van de nederzetting ondernomen, met de aanleg van een grote, open enclosure met daarin een erf. Deze inrichting wordt één fase later, tegen het einde van de 8ste eeuw, alweer verlaten. Historisch en vergelijkend archeologisch onderzoek linkt deze herinrichting aan een grootgrondbezitter. Waarschijnlijk werd de nederzetting in de 8ste of 9de eeuw het bezit van de Sint-Pietersabdij. Die legde surplusproductie op, die de nederzetting waarschijnlijk voldeed via varkensteelt. De precieze redenen achter de oprichting en opgave van de enclosure blijven onduidelijk. Waarschijnlijk werkten topdown en bottom-up processen hier samen. Na de opgave keert de nederzetting terug naar het karakter uit haar begindagen, tot ze verlaten wordt rond het midden van de 9de eeuw. Deze informatie is niet alleen uitermate relevant voor The Loop zelf, maar biedt ook een waardevolle en broodnodige kapstok om andere vroegmiddeleeuwse nederzettingen in de regio verder te onderzoeken. De verschillende nieuwe inzichten uit onderzoek bieden een wetenschappelijk verantwoorde blik op het dagdagelijkse leven op een vroegmiddeleeuwse boerderij ten zuiden van Gent. Een reeks van reconstructieschilderijen licht het bredere publiek in over deze nieuwe kennis.
Paleolandschappelijk, archeologisch en cultuurhistorisch onderzoek in het kader van het geactualiseerde Sigmaplan Sigma-Durmecluster , zone Groot en Klein Broek, 2009
Paleolandschappelijk, archeologisch en cultuurhistorisch onderzoek in het kader van het geactuali... more Paleolandschappelijk, archeologisch en cultuurhistorisch onderzoek in het kader van het geactualiseerde Sigmaplan Sigma-Durmecluster , zone Groot en Klein Broek
Evaluation of a prehistoric barrow complex detected by Lidar survey. Augering, test- pitting and ... more Evaluation of a prehistoric barrow complex detected by Lidar survey. Augering, test- pitting and palynological evaluation demonstrates excellent preservation conditions of the archaeological site.
Sur un chantier de fouille, l’archéologue est très fréquemment
confronté à des vestiges organique... more Sur un chantier de fouille, l’archéologue est très fréquemment confronté à des vestiges organiques, ou biorestes. Qu’ils soient visibles ou invisibles, rares ou abondants, ils sont souvent source de questionnements : que prélever? Où, comment et en quelle quantité? Quelles sont les conditions de stockage idéales? Quellle est la marche à suivre pour tamiser les sédiments? C’est à ces interrogations que vise à répondre le présent ouvrage. Il décrit de manière simple et précise les prélèvements à effec tuer pour obtenir, dès la phase de terrain, un assemblage de biorestes cohérent et représentatif. Il propose un aperçu de différents types et méthodes de prélèvements, qui possèdent chacun leurs avantages et inconvénients. De manière concrète, leur mise en oeuvre dans les contextes archéologiques les plus courants est passée en revue. Ce manuel guidera les choix de l’archéologue en fonction de la réalité de terrain et des problématiques de recherche envisagées. Les questions du stockage et du traitement des échantillons sont égaments abordées.
This report describes the results of the excavation of a middle mesolithic to middle neolithic si... more This report describes the results of the excavation of a middle mesolithic to middle neolithic site in alluvial context in the lower Scheldt Basin (Belgium). Waterlogged conditions and the covering of the site with peat and clay resulted in good preservation conditions of the site, including organic artefacts and palaeo- ecological proxies. This allowed the identification of several occupation episodes between ca. 5000 cal BC and ca. 3600 cal BC, illustrating the neolithisation process in the lower Scheldt Basin.
Pottery from a 10th-early-11th c. pottery kiln from Merelbeke (Belgium).
A small pottery kiln was... more Pottery from a 10th-early-11th c. pottery kiln from Merelbeke (Belgium). A small pottery kiln was excavated in 2000 at Merelbeke, about 10 km south of Ghent (Belgium). It was found on a site with a multi-period, mostly early medieval occupation. The earliest remains consisted of a late-Merovingian and Carolingian graveyard, located in the southern part of the excavation area. Later, a 10th-11th century settlement developed in the northern and western parts, represented by at least two wooden buildings and four ‘Grubenhäuser’. The pottery produced on the site is known only through the wasters found in the kiln itself. The oven pit contained 1812 sherds, representing 102 globular pots, 3 spouted pots and 4 frying pans. The technical homogeneity of the fabric is remarkable. All pots are made with a well-tempered, ferruginous clay, with a sorted sand temper of 2-3 mm large. Mostly non-tempered clay particles of 1 to 5 mm are visible in the fabric. The colour ranges from completely grey to completely beige, depending on the position of the pot in the kiln and on the intensity of the firing. The typology of the pots is very uniform. They have a globular body, a lenticular base and a simple rim with a diameter ranging from 120 to 200 mm. Most of the globular pots are decorated with rouletting on rim and shoulder; only 15 % of them are undecorated. The frying pan is a rather deep, bowl-shaped type with a short, hollow handle with a perforation in the body. Based on the morphological characteristics of the pottery, the production of the small kiln at Merelbeke can be dated to the second half of the 10th and the first half of the 11th century. Radiocarbon analysis of charcoal from the kiln itself do not contradict this, although the results are ambiguous. When only the youngest dating results are taken in account, the use of the kiln dates from in the first quarter of the 11th century. From a typological point of view, the pottery fits in very well with the pottery from the Scheldt region in that period as well with the broader pottery tradition of the time in the (southern) Low Countries.
Along the northern frontier the expansion of the Frankish empire had a major impact on settlement... more Along the northern frontier the expansion of the Frankish empire had a major impact on settlement patterns and the cultural landscape in general. The study of charcoal production may contribute to understanding the various changes the Frankish conquest brought about. By systematically linking evidence of charcoal production and settlement we have established that charcoal production at the time the Eastern Netherlands became incorporated in the Carolingian empire (8th -9th century) was a first, deliberate step towards substantial woodland reclamation. In a growing number of cases, reclamation can be linked to the creation of new settlements in the context of manorialization or the transformation of existing central places.
This session focuses on the study of wild plant resources employed as raw material in crafts (bas... more This session focuses on the study of wild plant resources employed as raw material in crafts (basketry, cordage, wrappings, clothing, containers, handles, shafts, combs etc.). Wood, fibers, bark, stems, roots, leaves or needles have been used for crafting utilitarian and ritual objects. Nevertheless, their role in the day-to-day life of past communities is underrepresented, because of their scarce preservation or their insufficient study. However, the growing research field of plant-based crafts provides extensive insights on the selection and use of plant material and the required technological knowledge of past societies. The session welcomes all contributors dealing with technological and archaeobotanical analyses of craft objects, and especially those presenting combined approaches. This session is organised in conjunction with the PlantWild Community of EAA.
Wild plant resources were crucial for past communities, even during Medieval and Post-Medieval pe... more Wild plant resources were crucial for past communities, even during Medieval and Post-Medieval period. Woodlands had an important role in the day-to-day life of these communities providing wood, charcoal, mushrooms, moss, fibers, resins, tars, fruits, nuts, berries, animal fodder, etc. This session will focus on wild plant resources, defining their importance in recent periods through interdisciplinary approaches including archaeology, archaeobotany and analysis of historical sources. Until now, the study of medieval and post medieval woodland exploitation has mainly focused on timber and fuelwood supply and charcoal production. Woodland exploitation for other plant resources is far less known. This session wants to fill this research gap focusing on the importance of these landscapes in the medieval and post medieval economy, including also other themes associated to these resources such as trade, exchange, cultural practices, identity, etc.
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confronté à des vestiges organiques, ou biorestes. Qu’ils soient
visibles ou invisibles, rares ou abondants, ils sont souvent
source de questionnements : que prélever? Où, comment et
en quelle quantité? Quelles sont les conditions de stockage
idéales? Quellle est la marche à suivre pour tamiser les sédiments?
C’est à ces interrogations que vise à répondre le présent
ouvrage. Il décrit de manière simple et précise les prélèvements
à effec tuer pour obtenir, dès la phase de terrain, un assemblage
de biorestes cohérent et représentatif. Il propose un aperçu de
différents types et méthodes de prélèvements, qui possèdent
chacun leurs avantages et inconvénients. De manière concrète,
leur mise en oeuvre dans les contextes archéologiques les plus
courants est passée en revue. Ce manuel guidera les choix de
l’archéologue en fonction de la réalité de terrain et des problématiques
de recherche envisagées. Les questions du stockage
et du traitement des échantillons sont égaments abordées.
A small pottery kiln was excavated in 2000 at Merelbeke, about 10 km south of Ghent (Belgium). It was found on a site with a multi-period, mostly early medieval occupation. The earliest remains consisted of a late-Merovingian and Carolingian graveyard, located in the southern part of the excavation area. Later, a 10th-11th century settlement developed in the northern and western parts, represented by at least two wooden buildings and four ‘Grubenhäuser’.
The pottery produced on the site is known only through the wasters found in the kiln itself. The oven pit contained 1812 sherds, representing 102 globular pots, 3 spouted pots and 4 frying pans. The technical homogeneity of the fabric is remarkable. All pots are made with a well-tempered, ferruginous clay, with a sorted sand temper of 2-3 mm large. Mostly non-tempered clay particles of 1 to 5 mm are visible in the fabric. The colour ranges from completely grey to completely beige, depending on the position of the pot in the kiln and on the intensity of the firing.
The typology of the pots is very uniform. They have a globular body, a lenticular base and a simple rim with a diameter ranging from 120 to 200 mm. Most of the globular pots are decorated with rouletting on rim and shoulder; only 15 % of them are undecorated. The frying pan is a rather deep, bowl-shaped type with a short, hollow handle with a perforation in the body.
Based on the morphological characteristics of the pottery, the production of the small kiln at Merelbeke can be dated to the second half of the 10th and the first half of the 11th century. Radiocarbon analysis of charcoal from the kiln itself do not contradict this, although the results are ambiguous. When only the youngest dating results are taken in account, the use of the kiln dates from in the first quarter of the 11th century. From a typological point of view, the pottery fits in very well with the pottery from the Scheldt region in that period as well with the broader pottery tradition of the time in the (southern) Low Countries.
This session will focus on wild plant resources, defining their importance in recent periods through interdisciplinary approaches including archaeology, archaeobotany and analysis of historical sources. Until now, the study of medieval and post medieval woodland exploitation has mainly focused on timber and fuelwood supply and charcoal production. Woodland exploitation for other plant resources is far less known. This session wants to fill this research gap focusing on the importance of these landscapes in the medieval and post medieval economy, including also other themes associated to these resources such as trade, exchange, cultural practices, identity, etc.