Carabid beetles as palaeo-ecological indicators in archaeology

Recently, carabid remains from excavations in Flanders, Belgium, have been used in palaeoecological reconstructions while other insect groups have been excluded. The reasons for this option are discussed. The potential value of cara-bids in archaeological research is illustrated by two examples. The first example, from a Roman well at Burst (East-Flanders, Belgium), shows that the carabid fauna can reveal changes in land use during the period the well was functional. The second example illustrates how the palaeoecological analysis of the carabid fauna from a well inside the cathedral of Antwerp (Belgium) helps to date the architectural history of the monument.