Underworlds and undercrofts. The development of medieval house cellars in urban context.

This thesis discusses the development of medieval house cellars in urban context. This will be done through the study of three Dutch towns ('s-Hertogenbosch, Arnhem and Deventer). The questions addressed in this study concern their characteristics (such as vaulting types, visible chronology and city specific types) and their functions (such as fire-safe spaces and general functions of medieval districts). The conclusions will highlight which characteristics are distinguishable. Primarily, that the 15th century is the appropriate era for cellars and that there is a large local variation with city-specific cellars, which is particularly the case in Deventer. An overview of the dimensions of all the investigated cellars is given. Cellars were not only used as storage, but also as a workshop or living space. They might also be related to city fires and the demand for fire-safe areas. Finally, cellars can only contribute to a limited extent to the identification of the functions of urban...Show moreThis thesis discusses the development of medieval house cellars in urban context. This will be done through the study of three Dutch towns ('s-Hertogenbosch, Arnhem and Deventer). The questions addressed in this study concern their characteristics (such as vaulting types, visible chronology and city specific types) and their functions (such as fire-safe spaces and general functions of medieval districts). The conclusions will highlight which characteristics are distinguishable. Primarily, that the 15th century is the appropriate era for cellars and that there is a large local variation with city-specific cellars, which is particularly the case in Deventer. An overview of the dimensions of all the investigated cellars is given. Cellars were not only used as storage, but also as a workshop or living space. They might also be related to city fires and the demand for fire-safe areas. Finally, cellars can only contribute to a limited extent to the identification of the functions of urban districts.Show less

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Underworlds and undercrofts. The development of medieval house cellars in urban context.