The study of Indian Ocean archaeology has often focused on individual sites and has tended to focus primarily on connections between major port sites without the inclusion of smaller sites and the...Show moreThe study of Indian Ocean archaeology has often focused on individual sites and has tended to focus primarily on connections between major port sites without the inclusion of smaller sites and the spaces in between these major sites. Within this thesis I focus on the role of Sri Lanka within the broader context of the Indian Ocean trade networks. Sri Lanka has long been thought to have been a central point within these aforementioned trade networks due to its geographical location at the “center” of the Indian Ocean, coupled with its natural topography that made it an ideal safe port of call for ancient merchants. However, most of Sri Lanka’s prominence in this context is based off historical texts and sporadic archaeological evidence from major sites such as Mantai and Anuradhapura. This research will focus on a wider range of sites and archaeological evidence in order to see what exactly was Sri Lanka’s role within the broader Indian Ocean trade networks. In order to accomplish this I will create an overview of all the available evidence such as archaeological reports, scientific articles and publications related to this topic. Following this I will also provide suggestions for the continuation of this research so that it may benefit the wider academic community. These suggestions will include the application of digital techniques in the field such as LiDAR, in order to properly understand the spaces in between the major sites so that a more complete picture is gained rather than one that focuses mainly on famous urban sites. Alongside this I will also discuss methods to properly store and disseminate the data related to this research in a way that makes it more accessible to the wider academic community. Through the creation of an overview of all the available material as well as the aforementioned suggestions, I will provide a framework for the next steps to be taken in terms of research into Sri Lanka’s role in the Indian Ocean trade networks.Show less
Today, large amounts of Pleistocene fossils and prehistoric artefacts are encountered in the nets of bottom trawling fishing vessels and found on beaches along the Dutch coast. Interestingly, these...Show moreToday, large amounts of Pleistocene fossils and prehistoric artefacts are encountered in the nets of bottom trawling fishing vessels and found on beaches along the Dutch coast. Interestingly, these finds do not derive from the current mainland but originate from a prehistoric land currently submerged beneath the North Sea. This land, known to us as ‘Doggerland’, extended across major parts of the North Sea during times when the sea level was more than 50 meters lower than today. The area consisted of diverse landscapes that ranged from tundra plains, during the glacial periods, to forested areas and coastal swamps, during warmer interglacial periods. These prehistoric landscapes were home to a large number of animal and plant species, and consequentially offered attractive environments for prehistoric hunter-gatherer groups. The fact that remains from Doggerland are encountered today demonstrates that at least parts of these prehistoric landscapes have been preserved beneath the seabed. However, at the same time, the finds indicate that the submerged prehistoric remains are being disturbed and displaced from their original or derived context. The disturbance can be attributed to offshore industrial activities, such as the fishing industry and sand extraction activities. Through their exploitation of the seabed, a large amount of fossil bones and artefacts resurface in the fishing nets and on sand suppleted beaches along the Dutch coast. Besides that, considering that certain offshore industrial activities will expand in response to the renewable energy transition and the ever-rising sea level, major parts of Doggerland are likely to be lost in the future. On the other hand, the nature and extent of the offshore industrial disturbances in relation to the submerged prehistoric remains are far from certain. This applies to today and the future especially. The following thesis, therefore, investigates the impacts of trawling activities, sand extraction and offshore wind generation on the seabed sediments, taking into account the depositional context, taphonomic processes as well as the current hydrodynamic conditions that have altered these deposits already.Show less
The flood of archaeological remote sensing data in present times calls for digital solutions which can reduce the time and cost required to manually analyse these vast amounts of data. In recent...Show moreThe flood of archaeological remote sensing data in present times calls for digital solutions which can reduce the time and cost required to manually analyse these vast amounts of data. In recent times, Deep Learning techniques based on Covolutional Neural Networks for auto- mated detection of archaeological objects, are fast gaining traction due to the potential they hold. However, much of these studies remain re- stricted to detection of discrete objects with uniform morphologies. Thus, there lies a gap in the use of these methodologies for mapping of larger archaeological systems, which can contribute immensely to landscape archaeology, and our knowledge of human cultural activity in the past. This thesis attempts to make this shift by using a CNN-based in- stance segmentation methodology to detect individual plots of large Celtic Field systems. It was implemented on LiDAR data from the Veluwe region in the Netherlands, using the Mask R-CNN model. The results show that the methodology has the ability to not only detect field plots present in the landscape, but also outline their exact shape. These results when embedded in a wider framework can con- tribute greatly to archaeological prospection and our understanding of the archaeological landscape in the Veluwe.Show less
Cultural representation through the use of artefacts is a challenging but vital role of any ethnographic collection. It is therefore important for ethnographic collections to consider the kinds of...Show moreCultural representation through the use of artefacts is a challenging but vital role of any ethnographic collection. It is therefore important for ethnographic collections to consider the kinds of narratives and knowledge which is created through the exhibition of artefacts. In order to understand the past and present patterns of a collection’s display, a comprehensive study of its exhibition history must first be mapped out. Such information is useful for curators to understand how their collections have been used in the past, how they are used presently and how they may improve their use for the future. This research paper does such a study, by looking at the exhibition history of the Weltmuseum Wien’s Brazilian collection. By compiling data from past exhibitions, the frequency of display for each accessioned object has been identified. The data was gathered using the museum’s database, archival loan contracts as well as past exhibition catalogues. Analysis of this data set was conducted in order to discuss the implications and findings. Particular interest is paid to the most exhibited objects in the collection and the consequences pertaining to their frequent display. Curatorial practices and the creation of narratives in the museum context are discussed. In order to contextualize this research, the history of loaning and curatorial practices are generally considered as well as in relation to the Weltmuseum in particular. The museum’s origins, the creation of the collection and the key collectors involved are described. This information offers the reader a better understanding of the types of objects in the collection and their background. The findings of this research are positioned in relation to the greater debates surrounding curatorial and exhibition practices in the field. Themes concerning stakeholders, indigenous communities and museum ethics are included throughout the paper. This research also contributes to the academic and curatorial management work currently underway at the museum. By combining the three data sources (database, loan records, exhibition catalogues), the comprehensive list which was created in this study will directly benefit the museum and their records.Show less
In the period from 1590 to 1600, changes took place in the State army. Prince Maurits carried out reforms together with Willem Lodewijk. They studied sources from Classical Antiquity on, amongst...Show moreIn the period from 1590 to 1600, changes took place in the State army. Prince Maurits carried out reforms together with Willem Lodewijk. They studied sources from Classical Antiquity on, amongst others, Roman military strategies and the construction of Roman army camps. They used this knowledge as a source of inspiration and they applied many elements from the Roman army to the State army. For example, think of the introduction of command language. The most important introduction was the drill of soldiers, which required a lot of training and discipline. The introduction of training and discipline ensured that the State soldiers were well trained and that they knew better what do to during a combat. The result was that the State army won more regularly and that they could win in smaller units. Discipline therefore was very important in the reformed State army and that is why this research is also referred to as a discipline revolution. It is to be expected that these organizational reforms can also be recognized in State siege camps. Before the reforms were introduced, the State army camps had no fixed form, organized structure or fixed elements. Due to the introduction of discipline and changes in war strategy, it may be expected that changes have occurred within the camps of the State army. Many studies have been carried out in recent decades about the State army and the changes in their strategy, for example. However about the life of a State soldier (such as the food supply within the army) and how the structure of State siege camps changed after the introduction of the organizational reforms has hardly been researched. In this research, State army camps (before the organizational reforms) and State and Spanish siege camps (after the organizational reforms) are examined and compared with each other. The period after the Twelve Years' Truce (1621-1648) was chosen to study the State and Spanish siege camps. As already mentioned, it may be expected that State army camps differ from the later State siege camps in the implementation of organizational reforms. In addition, Spanish siege camps will not have a fixed structure or fixed elements, because during the Eighty Years' War (1568-1648) no organizational reforms took place within the Spanish army. To compare this, historical (siege) maps have been analysed and in addition the archaeology of the (so far) only two archaeologically excavated State siege camps has been analysed. Additionally, the changes in the logistics of food supplies in the State army as a result of the organizational reforms are studied as well.Show less
