Research into grave goods sheds new light on traditional roles

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New archaeological research into grave goods and skeletal material from the oldest grave field in the Netherlands shows that male-female roles 7,000 years ago were less traditional than was thought. The research was conducted by a multidisciplinary team of researchers led by Archol, the National Museum of Antiquities and Leiden University. Credit: Leiden University New…

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Archaeology, Europe, Netherlands, Western Europe

Traces of large Roman army camp discovered in Velsen, North Holland

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Archaeologists from the museum Huis van Hilde found evidence of a large Roman army camp in Velsen – or Flevum in Latin. Evidence of the Roman army’s presence was already found in the 1940s, yet archaeologists now discovered that the base was much larger than previously expected. Reconstruction of the Roman castellum in Velsen [Credit:…

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Archaeology, Europe, Netherlands, Western Europe

Dutch Neanderthal now has a face

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In 2009 a fragment of the skull of the first Neanderthal in the Netherlands was presented at the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden (National Museum of Antiquities). That Neanderthal now has a face. The Kennis brothers, world-famous palaeo-artists, interpreted the characteristics of the fossil and other Neanderthal skulls to arrive at the reconstructed face of ‘Krijn’, a…

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Anthropology, Early Humans, Europe, Forensics, Fossils, Netherlands

Roman finds in Limes area in Utrecht unique in the world

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Archaeologists have found extremely rare Roman artefacts in an area of Utrecht that was once part of the Lower German Limes, the marching route which marked the frontier of the Roman Empire and which were recently declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.  Six bronze fibulae [Credit: Erfgoed Gemeente Utrecht] The finds, which surfaced in 2019…

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Archaeology, Europe, Netherlands, Western Europe

‘Aztecs’ at the Museum Volkenkunde, Leiden

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Life-sized warriors carved from stone, mythical human-animal figures, intricate gold jewellery, and a full-size 3D print of the sun stone: all this and more will be on display in Museum Volkenkunde’s Aztecs, the first exhibition about the Aztecs ever to be staged in the Netherlands.  Credit: Museum Volkenkunde This year it is 500th years since…

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Exhibitions, Mexico, Netherlands, Travel

Dutch unearth Roman canal, road near UNESCO heritage sites

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Dutch archaeologists said on Wednesday they have unearthed a Roman canal and road near ancient military camps that were this week listed on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites. Roman road delimited by ditches on either side [Credit: Eric Norde, RAAP] The canal—more than 10 metres (33 feet) wide—and road were uncovered last week near…

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Archaeology, Europe, Netherlands, Western Europe

18th century graveyard found at former Caribbean plantation

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An 18th century burial ground has been discovered at a former sugar plantation on the Dutch Caribbean island of St. Eustatius, officials said Monday, and archaeologists said it likely contains the remains of slaves and could provide a trove of information on the lives as enslaved people. Archaeologists excavate in the former Golden Rock plantation…

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Africa, Archaeology, Caribbean islands, Netherlands

Stolen colonial-era objects will be ‘unconditionally’ returned, says the Netherlands

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Dutch state museums and art galleries are set to return thousands of items taken from former colonies in a move that experts say will make the country a leader in repatriating colonial-era objects. The Netherlands National Museum of World Cultures will search its collections for “stolen” colonial-era artefacts [Credit: Museum Volkenkunde] New guidelines issued by…

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Africa, Archaeology, Heritage, Indigenous Cultures, Netherlands, Nigeria

225 prehistoric graves discovered in North Brabant, Netherlands

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A rescue excavation ahead of the planned construction of a new residential area in the Dutch village Berkel-Enschot has revealed one of the largest prehistoric urn fields in the North Brabant province in the south of the Netherlands. Archaeologist Paul van den Helm is investigating a prehistoric burial pit near Udenhoutseweg [Credit: Archol, Leiden] In…

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Archaeology, Europe, Netherlands, Western Europe

Traces of habitation from the Iron Age and Roman Era found in Utrecht

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During the archaeological excavations on the Jochem Janszplantsoen in the town of Odijk (Bunnik municipality), spectacular finds have been made dating back to the Iron Age and Roman period. Remains of at least three buildings from the Iron Age and several wells with wooden revetments have been found. Furthermore, the archaeologists have found parts of…

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Archaeology, Europe, Netherlands, Western Europe