Analyzing the spatial distribution of diagnostic ceramics, this study provides a more detailed insight into the development of the early to central medieval settlement located at Valkenburg De...Show moreAnalyzing the spatial distribution of diagnostic ceramics, this study provides a more detailed insight into the development of the early to central medieval settlement located at Valkenburg De Woerd. To doing so, both ceramics and features such as wells and ditches have been plotted using a Geographical Information System. This research concerning the analysis of pottery from De Woerd is the third in line and specifically focuses on ceramics found in the southern part of the settlement. In this thesis results of quantities of fabrics and vessel types are presented and discussed. All ceramics in a settlement context have been analyzed including those of two previous studies. The development of habitation is presented by both the spatial distribution of diagnostic ceramics as well as the topographical location of dated features. This discussion however also relates to the impact of site formation processes, since they will have had an impact on the spatial distribution of both ceramics and dated features. Especially a combination of ploughing and levelling has affected higher situated levees resulting in the disappearing of the original surface. Despite these site formation processes, both the assemblage of the northern and southern part of the settlement yielded similar ratios in fabrics and vessel types. This is also concluded when the assemblage from the settlement is compared to the overall collection of ceramics found in trench 510 located in a gulley. By combining all three collections and comparing this complete assemblage with other contemporaneous sites, it can be concluded that the ratios concerning fabric and vessel types, De Woerd fit well in the regional image of the use of pottery in the early medieval period. It is argued that habitation started at around AD 575/600 and continued into the Carolingian period. In the first half of the tenth century there may have been a short hiatus in habitation in the excavated part of the settlement. Habitation may have been present further east. The start of habitation linked to this later phase could be placed at around AD 950 and came to an end in the first half of the twelfth century. Based on the spatial distribution of diagnostic ceramics as well as the location of dated ditches and wells, it is concluded that all parcels on site were inhabited during the Merovingian and Carolingian period. During the Carolingian period, habitation shifted further in an eastward direction and the area became in use as agricultural land. In the central medieval period habitation in the excavated area consisted of a single farmstead, located at the southern part of the site.Show less
