In sommige publicaties betreffende Den Haag in de Late Middeleeuwen en Nieuwe Tijd wordt de tegenstelling van de rijkdom van de bewoners op zand en armoede van bewoners op veen vermeld. In deze...Show moreIn sommige publicaties betreffende Den Haag in de Late Middeleeuwen en Nieuwe Tijd wordt de tegenstelling van de rijkdom van de bewoners op zand en armoede van bewoners op veen vermeld. In deze scriptie wordt onderzocht in hoeverre deze ‘zandrijk’ en ‘veenarm’ tegenstelling gereflecteerd wordt door de spreiding en het materiaal van watervoorzieningen in het stadscentrum van Den Haag. Dit wordt gedaan door kwantitatief onderzoek en statistische tests op een database van 218 watervoorzieningen in Den Haag in de Late Middeleeuwen en de Nieuwe Tijd. Hierbij worden beschreven: de verdeling van het aantal watervoorzieningen tussen veen en zand, het verloop van het aantal watervoorzieningen door de tijd, mogelijke verklaringen daarvoor, het verloop van het aantal watervoorzieningen in veen en zand door de tijd, de verdeling van het aantal waterputten tussen de gebruikte materialen, de verdeling van het aantal waterputten tussen de gebruikte materialen per grondsoort door de tijd heen en de bezwaren tegen de betrouwbaarheid van het onderzoek. Als de historische verwachting dat minvermogenden in Den Haag op veengronden woonden en welgestelden op zand correct is, is te verwachten dat er in veen geen of minder en goedkopere (houten) putten en kelders aanwezig zijn en in zandgronden meer, duurdere ((bak)stenen) waterputten en -kelders. Dit is echter niet het geval. Alleen het relatief grote aantal kelders op zand, het relatief grote deel volsteenputten op zand en het relatief grotere deel (bak)stenen schachten in zand, stroken met de onderzoeksstelling. Het aanwezig zijn van watervoorzieningen op veen, én relatief meer watervoorzieningen op veen, de sterke invloed van tijdsperiode op het aantal watervoorzieningen, en het aanwezig zijn van relatief meer houten kragen op zand dan op veen stroken niet met de onderzoeksstelling. De onderzoeksstelling wordt dus slechts voor een deel ondersteund door de resultaten en voor een deel tegengesproken. Mogelijke verklaringen hiervoor zijn dat zijn dat het beeld is dat de data geeft verstoord is en dat de historische verwachting klopt, watervoorzieningen geen welvaart aangeven, dat de manier waarop watervoorzieningen status en welvaart aangeven genuanceerder is, of dat welgestelden moeten worden onderverdeeld in meer lagen. [English version] In some publications considering The Hague (Den Haag) in the late middle ages and the modern period there mention of an opinon of the opposite between the wealth of inhabitants of and the poverty of inhabitants of peat. To which extent this ‘sand rich’ and ‘peat poor’ opposition is reflected by the distribution and the material of water sources (cisterns and wells) in the city centre of The Hague is researched in this thesis. This has been done by quantitative research and statistical tests on a database of 218 water sources in The Hague in the late middle ages and the modern period. Here a description is given of distribution of the number of water sources between peat and sand, the distribution of the number of water sources through time, possible explanations for it, the distribution of the number of water sources in sand and peat through time, de distribution of the number of wells between the used materials, the distribution of the number of wells between the used materials and between sand and peat through time, and the objections against the reliability of the research. If the historical expectation that the unwealthy in The Hague lived on peat and the wealthy on sand is correct, it is to be expected that there are no or less and cheaper (wooden) wells and no or less cisterns in peat and more, more expensive (brick/stone) wells and more cisterns sand. This is not the case however, Only the relatively large number of cisterns on sand, the relatively large share of completely brick/stone wells on sand and the relatively large number of brick/stone shaft linings in sand are in accordance with the research hypothesis. The presence of water sources in peat, and the presence of relatively more water sources in peat, the strong influnce of time period on the number of water sources, and the presence of relatively more wooden above ground structures on sand than on peat are not in accordance with the research hypothesis. The research hypothesis is therefore only partly supported by the results and partly contradicted. Possible explanations are that the image the data give is distorted and the historical expectation is correct, water sources don’t indicate wealth, the way in which water sources indicate status is more nuanced, or that the wealthy should be divided into more layers.Show less
This BA-thesis focuses on cisterns in early modern Amsterdam, building upon the research conducted by Gawronski and Veerkamp in 2007. In their research, a number of topics are treated, such as...Show moreThis BA-thesis focuses on cisterns in early modern Amsterdam, building upon the research conducted by Gawronski and Veerkamp in 2007. In their research, a number of topics are treated, such as cistern sizes and capacities. However, little attention is spent to different functional applications of cisterns. Furthermore, spatial dispersion of cisterns in Amsterdam is completely left out. Therefore, in this thesis functional application of cisterns, divided into seven categories of context, and their spatial aspects are focused upon. Data was retrieved from the Amsterdamse Archeologische Rapporten (AAR), in which ninety-one cisterns are documented. This thesis has emerged clear differences and relations between size and capacity, and different categories of context of cisterns. These differences are explained both by functional application of the cistern, as well as wealth of its owner. Spatially, clear clusters of cisterns are recognised in post-17th century neighbourhoods, such as the Jordaan, canal belts and the islands of Marken and Oostenburg. Even in pre-17th century neighbourhoods, many cisterns are located in association to newly built 17th-18th century structures. In order to make more detailed conclusions about the use and dating of cisterns, more extensive documentation, and new dating methods are needed.Show less
The goal of this thesis is to shed light on relationship between the beer brewers of the Dutch city of Delft and the management of water and sewage in the period of the 13th and 18th century A.D....Show moreThe goal of this thesis is to shed light on relationship between the beer brewers of the Dutch city of Delft and the management of water and sewage in the period of the 13th and 18th century A.D. Starting from around the 13th century we see Dutch cities employing new laws to keep the internal channels and waterways clean. This was done in name of health and prosperity. Cities started to enforce new building codes which required the access to a cesspit. These cesspits would contain the human excrement until the time came to have them emptied into a specialised barge, which would deposit its cargo outside of the city, keeping the waters clean. The hypothesis is that the local brewers would use the channels as their water supply and as such it would behove them to do whatever they could to keep the channels clean. Beer brewing turned into the dominant local industry of Delft, in such a way that they influenced the local council to ensure the cleanliness of the channels. The hypothesis of this thesis is that archaeological evidence should exist that shows a connection between the era of cesspits and the rise and fall of the brewers. This is claim is explored by cataloguing a sample (67) of cesspits within the historic boundaries of the city. These cesspits were classified and dated after which they were turned into a table and a set of graphs showing the relationship between the cesspits, the population, the city’s population density, the number of breweries and the amount of produced beer. The history of Delft, its relationship with the brewers and the history of its waterways are explored to provide historical context. Furthermore, the cesspit eras of the Dutch cities Haarlem and Leiden are discussed to provide a comparison to Delft. The results show a connection between the end of the cesspit era and the collapse of the brewing industry. There is a regrettable lack of information about the brewing industry during the 14th and 15th century. As such it is not possible to determine if the cesspits are also linked to rise of the brewing industry. In the end it seems plausible but not certain that the breweries and the cesspits shared a connection which led to their joined demise Further research is required to verify these final results.Show less
Since 2005, archaeological research has been carried out at the Lost City of Trellech excavation in the town of Trellech, located in the county of Monmouthshire, south east Wales. During excavation...Show moreSince 2005, archaeological research has been carried out at the Lost City of Trellech excavation in the town of Trellech, located in the county of Monmouthshire, south east Wales. During excavation, the remains of a medieval house were uncovered in former agricultural field. The owner of the excavated land and initiator of the excavation, Stuart Wilson, claims the house to be a medieval fortified manor house, dating from Trellech’s economic and demographic peak in the 13th century. Despite the amount of data gathered during the years of excavation on the house, these data have hitherto not been used to systematically research Wilson’s claim. This is unfortunate, since the result of such research could provide a valuable argument both in the ongoing debate on the location of Trellech’s medieval town centre, as well as for the importance of the excavations still being carried out at the site. In this thesis, data from archaeological fieldwork at the excavation in Trellech were used in a systematic comparison to both historical and archaeological data regarding known cases of medieval manor houses. Important distinctions and similarities between Trellech and these houses were discussed to inform a conclusion on the likelihood of the house in Trellech likewise being a manor house. From this research, it was found that regarding both the layout of the house, as well as the material culture that was found during excavation, the house at the Lost City of Trellech excavation was built in the 13th century and was indeed likely to have been a manor house. This conclusion affirms the value of the work carried out at the Lost City of Trellech excavation and offers an interpretation that will prove to be an important piece of evidence for the location of Trellech’s medieval town centre.Show less
Late Medieval north-western Europe was transformed by the introduction of hopped beer into the market. It has been assumed that during the late 13th and into the 14th century, beer replaced wine as...Show moreLate Medieval north-western Europe was transformed by the introduction of hopped beer into the market. It has been assumed that during the late 13th and into the 14th century, beer replaced wine as the preferred beverage in the areas around the Low Countries and Germany. Authors like Raymond van Uytven, Susan Rose, Max Nelson and Richard Yntema have all demonstrated how this change is reflected in the historical records. The focus of this thesis is to study how this change from wine to beer consumption may be reflected in the material record. To study this, research has been conducted on the material that was most common from the 1300-1600s; stoneware. A use-function approach was used to gather information about characteristics of drinking vessels. This approach was carried out by researching previous scholarship and studying the defining characteristics of different vessels outlined in the Dutch classification system. Further research brought in contemporary historical illustrations of stoneware vessels in use, where specifically wine or beer can be assumed. These sources present a window into how artists and their audiences interacted with reproductions of social situations. Once gathered, these characteristics work as guidelines to apply specific use-function of either wine or beer consumption to individual vessels. This catalogue of characteristics can then be applied to datasets of stonewares. In this case, these characteristics were applied to a dataset of stoneware assemblages from Nijmegen, Dordrecht and Deventer reported in Cities in Sherds (Bartels 1997). These assemblages were classified into groups based upon use; Beer, Beer?, Wine, Wine?, Either wine or beer, Non-wine/beer, and unknown. By breaking down the assemblages into these categories, it was possible to observe trends in the production of beer or wine vessels. One large bias in the data, and indeed to the approach, is the size of the Unknown category. Making up 65% of the assemblages, there is a problem with the documentation and identification of stoneware vessels. Focussing on the other groups, the results from this data indicate something different from what has been argued by historical scholars. The data showed an increase in wine vessels after the 14th century. Future studies in the field could focus on developing more accurate methods to identify vessels. With more accurate results at this stage, the sample size for analysis will grow, creating a better understanding of the different forms consumed during the centuries. This research could potentially be used as a starting point for future enquiries into the nuances of beverage preferences in the late medieval period.Show less
In this paper data has been gathered from excavation of the last century dealing with the town defences of Utrecht. Using this data and other historical sources a reconstruction has been made of...Show moreIn this paper data has been gathered from excavation of the last century dealing with the town defences of Utrecht. Using this data and other historical sources a reconstruction has been made of the medieval town defences of Utrecht. Central stands the question whether the construction of the town defences was a plan or process and how this enormous endeavour was realized. First the general history and background of Utrecht are discussed, followed by the reconstruction of the town defences. Then the town defences are divided into different phases. Finally a comparison between the town defences of Utrecht and different other towns in both the Netherlands and abroad will be made.Show less
The political conflict between Dutch Orangists and Patriots in the Netherlands during the late 18th and early 19th century brought about the production of a huge amount of politically charged...Show moreThe political conflict between Dutch Orangists and Patriots in the Netherlands during the late 18th and early 19th century brought about the production of a huge amount of politically charged objects. Many of these items have survived from history and are nowadays kept in museums and private collections. However, the exact provenance that can provide information of the social context these objects used to be part of generally lacks. The central question of this thesis is: To what extent can Dutch Patriots and Orangists be socially distinguished by their consumer behaviour regarding ceramics and glassware apart from the use of politically charged objects when consulting historical and archaeological data from the late 18th and early 19th century? Through the study of both historical and archaeological sources an attempt has been made to fathom the material culture of politically engaged individuals in the Netherlands in the period around 1800.Show less
The main question of this thesis is whether medieval town defences were the result of well thought out master plans or if they evolved over time. If they had been carefully planned, one would...Show moreThe main question of this thesis is whether medieval town defences were the result of well thought out master plans or if they evolved over time. If they had been carefully planned, one would expect little variation (no different stages of construction). The research indicates that the town wall of Zevenbergen shows less variation than those of Den Bosch and Breda, the other towns investigated.Show less