Osteoarchaeology is important for understanding past populations. In the Netherlands, osteoarchaeology is very decentralized and therefore problems can occur. For instance, there is no record in...Show moreOsteoarchaeology is important for understanding past populations. In the Netherlands, osteoarchaeology is very decentralized and therefore problems can occur. For instance, there is no record in the Netherlands which archaeological sites contain human skeletal material, which of those sites are osteoarchaeological researched and if the material is preserved for future research. With a central overview those problems could be solved. The overview is based on Archis, BoneInfo and the municipal- and provincial depots inventories. The main research question of this thesis is “In what way can a detailed overview of the Dutch skeleton material help (future) osteoarchaeological research?”. Therefore three sub questions will be answered. 1. What is the ratio between human inhumations and cremations in the Dutch archaeology and how is this compared to the archaeological periods and locations? 2. To what extinct research has been done on the human remains and to what extinct is that still possible? 3. To what extinct has the collection period and the collecting method influences on the osteoarchaeological research? In the Skeleton-overview 51% of the archaeological sites contain only cremations and 46% only inhumations. The sites containing only cremations do occur mainly in the time periods from Stone Age till Roman Age. In the Roman Age there is a transition to inhumations. Cremation-sites are mostly located in the east and south on the Netherlands in the higher areas of the Netherlands. In the Skeleton-overview only 13% is osteoarchaeological researched. The main reason for this is that for most sites it is unknown if they are researched. Also for 78% of the sites the place of storing is unknown. Further research is needed. Archaeological sites that were archaeological excavated have the highest amount of osteoarchaeological researched sites. This also occur with sites that are acquired more recently (in the period after 1991). A detailed overview helps to understand the osteoarchaeological record better. It also will help osteoarchaeologists with their research and recommendations in the archaeological field.Show less
