Papers by Berber van der Meulen-van der Veen
Annales de la Société archéologique de Namur, 2023
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Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2023
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Tot op het bot onderzocht. Essays ter ere van archeozoöloog Roel Lauwerier (NAR 070), 2020
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Kleos 1.1, 2015
During the 1990s, excavations were carried out by the former Rijksdienst
voor het Oudheidkundig B... more During the 1990s, excavations were carried out by the former Rijksdienst
voor het Oudheidkundig Bodemonderzoek (ROB) at the location of the Late
Roman bridge at Cuijk. Three intact bridge piers were discovered consisting
of large wooden piles with iron shoes that were driven into the sand and the
underlying gravel. On one of these piles an inscription was found. It read
ETERNA, which the excavators considered to be a reference to the wish for
the bridge's eternal existence. In the first half of this article we argue that it
should in fact be considered a personal name, providing an analysis of the
inscription itself and comparing it to a number of parallels from various
military sites in Germania Inferior. In the second half we take a closer look
at the archaeological and epigraphical record in an attempt to answer the
questions who this person could have been and what reason he could have
had to carve out his name.
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BA thesis, Universiteit Leiden, Aug 29, 2014
During the years 1964 to 1966, the Rijksdienst voor het Oudheidkundig Bodemonderzoek carried out ... more During the years 1964 to 1966, the Rijksdienst voor het Oudheidkundig Bodemonderzoek carried out an extensive archaeological investigation around the St. Martinuskerk in
Cuijk. Traces were found dating from the Mesolithic to the modern age. Part of the findings was a Claudian castellum consisting of wooden structures surrounded by a double V-shaped ditch. Unfortunately, the results were never fully published.
In more recent years, however, suspicions were raised about the supposed military nature of the site. The aim of this thesis was to revisit all the original documentation and finds and not only date the castellum more precisely, but also find out more about its nature and function. This was done through a more detailed study of the finds and features and a comparison with other sites.
It was found that three distinct building phases could be identified, respectively dating unknown to AD 40/50, AD 40/50-70 and AD 70-100. Each building phase was quite unique in its characteristics. Besides the incomplete remains of several building plans, a pottery kiln was excavated that proved to be contemporary with the second building phase. No evidence was found that the aforementioned ditches were anything more than large pits.
The exact nature of the first building phase remains unclear, but it was most likely a temporary form of settlement, probably in the military sphere. The features from the second phase can be linked to numerous types of military buildings, but the finds suggest a more civil function.
Taking into consideration the local production of pottery and the highly Romanized nature of the finds, this phase was interpreted as a semi military settlement. Parallels were drawn with sites such as Corbridge, which were civil settlements producing and transporting goods for the army and with Valkenburg, where civil and military settlements existed alongside each other. The third and final phase proved to be significantly different from the previous two, with all the characteristics of the so-called strip-
houses that are common in civil settlements in this period. The function of the town seems to have changed significantly around AD 70, when it seems to have been transformed into a civil, rural settlement.
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Mres thesis, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 2017
This thesis aims to add a new, archaeologically based perspective on the function and socio-econo... more This thesis aims to add a new, archaeologically based perspective on the function and socio-economic role of the late Roman limes and challenge the common notion that it was meant purely for defensive strategy. Connected to this focus on defense is the idea that the Late Roman borders were straining under the stress of "barbarian" incursions and migration. Both assumptions are challenged in this thesis. This is done by mapping the archaeological evidence for Roman military investments and activities between AD 260 and 406/7 in the Dutch river area (Rhine and Meuse) and coastal area (Litus Saxonicum). A number of dynamic maps are presented, showing how the "limes zone" (taken here in its broadest sense) developed during this period. These developments are taken as a proxy value for the changing socio-economic landscape of the Late Roman empire, in order to investigate paradigms on migration and violence.
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Reviews by Berber van der Meulen-van der Veen
TMA54, 2015
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Issue 1 by Berber van der Meulen-van der Veen
During the 1990s, excavations were carried out by the former Rijksdienst voor het Oudheidkundig B... more During the 1990s, excavations were carried out by the former Rijksdienst voor het Oudheidkundig Bodemonderzoek (ROB) at the location of the Late Roman bridge at Cuijk. Three intact bridge piers were discovered consisting of large wooden piles with iron shoes that were driven into the sand and the
underlying gravel. On one of these piles an inscription was found. It read ETERNA, which the excavators considered to be a reference to the wish for the bridge's eternal existence. In the first half of this article we argue that it should in fact be considered a personal name, providing an analysis of the
inscription itself and comparing it to a number of parallels from various military sites in Germania Inferior. In the second half we take a closer look at the archaeological and epigraphical record in an attempt to answer the questions who this person could have been and what reason he could have
had to carve out his name.
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Talks by Berber van der Meulen-van der Veen
23rd Meeting of the European Association of Archaeologists, Maastricht, 31-08-2017
The aim of this paper is to add a new, archaeologically based perspective on the function and soc... more The aim of this paper is to add a new, archaeologically based perspective on the function and socio-economic role of the late Roman limes and challenge the common notion that
it was meant purely for defensive strategy. Connected to this focus on defense is the idea that the Late Roman borders were straining under the stress of "barbarian" incursions
and migration. Both assumptions will be challenged in this paper.
This will be done by mapping the archaeological evidence for Roman military investments and activities between AD 260 and 406/7 in the Dutch river area (Rhine and Meuse) and coastal area (Litus Saxonicum). A number of dynamic maps will be presented, showing how the "limes zone" (taken here in its broadest sense) developed during this period. These developments will be taken as a proxy value for the changing socio-economic landscape of the Late Roman empire, in order to investigate paradigms on migration and
violence.
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13e Symposium Onderzoek Jonge Archeologen (SOJA), Universiteit Leiden, 25-09-2015
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45e Reuvensdagen, Zwolle, 27-11-2015
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19e Dag van het Romeinse aardewerk, Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen, 12-06-2015
During the years 1964 to 1966, the Rijksdienst voor het Oudheidkundig Bodemonderzoek carried out ... more During the years 1964 to 1966, the Rijksdienst voor het Oudheidkundig Bodemonderzoek carried out an extensive archaeological investigation around the St. Martinuskerk in Cuijk. Traces were found dating from the Mesolithic to the modern age. Part of the findings was a Claudian castellum consisting of wooden structures surrounded by a double V-shaped ditch. Unfortunately, the results were never published.
In more recent years, however, suspicion has been raised about the supposed military nature of this settlement. The aim of this thesis was to revisit all the original documentation and finds and not only date this occupation phase more precisely, but also find out more about its nature and function. This was be done by working out parts of the excavation and comparing the results with other sites.
It was found that there were three separate building phases, respectively dating unknown to AD 40/50, AD 40/50-70 and AD 70-100. Each building phase was quite distinct in its features and finds. Besides these structural remains, a pottery kiln was excavated that proved to be contemporary with the second building phase. No evidence was found that the aforementioned ditches were anything more than large pits.
The first building phase remains unclear, but it was most likely a temporary form of settlement, probably in the military sphere. The features from the second phase can be linked to numerous types of military buildings, but the finds suggest a more civil function. Taking into consideration the local production of pottery and the highly Romanized nature of the finds, this phase was interpreted as a semi military settlement. A parallel has been drawn with sites such as Corbridge, which were civil settlements producing and transporting goods for the army and with Valkenburg, where civil and military settlements existed alongside eachother. The third and final phase is significantly different from the previous two, and has all the characteristics of the so-called strip-houses that are common in rural settlements in this period. The function of the town seems to have changed significantly around AD 70, and the town seems to have been transformed into a civil, rural settlement.
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19e Dag van het Romeinse aardewerk, Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen, 12-06-2015
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Call for Papers by Berber van der Meulen-van der Veen
*Deadline: 17th of May 2022* | Call for Papers for the Virtual Special Issue "The Contribution of... more *Deadline: 17th of May 2022* | Call for Papers for the Virtual Special Issue "The Contribution of Metal Corrosion Products to Archaeological Research" in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports | In archaeology, the outer surface of a metal artefact is increasingly valued. Corrosion products and adhering material often contain valuable information (e.g. ghost structures) and can significantly contribute to the artefact biography. In the conservation sciences, alteration layers are regularly examined to gain information about the local environment and the alloy with the aim of designing the best treatment possible. | With the spread of affordable and easy-to-use portable equipment like pXRF, the number of analyses from this outer surface is increasing and curators become even more critical when it comes to invasive sampling. Using corrosion layers for analysis instead of exposing fresh metallic surfaces might allow access to more objects and could also be considered for gaining sufficient information to answer a number of research questions. However, the plethora of different influences and processes during metal corrosion makes this task very challenging. Moreover, many studies on the mechanisms of long-term corrosion processes are published in non-archaeological journals and hence do not have the visibility in the archaeological community they deserve. | This special issue welcomes contributions from multiple disciplines, like archaeology, conservation science, materials science and technical art history, that deal with alteration layers, from multiple perspectives and for all types of metal alloy, from copper and iron to silver, from the first metals to modern times. We invite review articles as well as case studies that highlight the potential of corrosion products in archaeological research. We likewise welcome methodological articles that present novel approaches to the study of corrosion materials or investigate the potential of already existing methods for corrosion materials. For further information, please contact one of the guest editors.
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Conference Presentations by Berber van der Meulen-van der Veen
Limes XXIIII. 24. International Limes Congress 2018, 2018
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Uploads
Papers by Berber van der Meulen-van der Veen
voor het Oudheidkundig Bodemonderzoek (ROB) at the location of the Late
Roman bridge at Cuijk. Three intact bridge piers were discovered consisting
of large wooden piles with iron shoes that were driven into the sand and the
underlying gravel. On one of these piles an inscription was found. It read
ETERNA, which the excavators considered to be a reference to the wish for
the bridge's eternal existence. In the first half of this article we argue that it
should in fact be considered a personal name, providing an analysis of the
inscription itself and comparing it to a number of parallels from various
military sites in Germania Inferior. In the second half we take a closer look
at the archaeological and epigraphical record in an attempt to answer the
questions who this person could have been and what reason he could have
had to carve out his name.
Cuijk. Traces were found dating from the Mesolithic to the modern age. Part of the findings was a Claudian castellum consisting of wooden structures surrounded by a double V-shaped ditch. Unfortunately, the results were never fully published.
In more recent years, however, suspicions were raised about the supposed military nature of the site. The aim of this thesis was to revisit all the original documentation and finds and not only date the castellum more precisely, but also find out more about its nature and function. This was done through a more detailed study of the finds and features and a comparison with other sites.
It was found that three distinct building phases could be identified, respectively dating unknown to AD 40/50, AD 40/50-70 and AD 70-100. Each building phase was quite unique in its characteristics. Besides the incomplete remains of several building plans, a pottery kiln was excavated that proved to be contemporary with the second building phase. No evidence was found that the aforementioned ditches were anything more than large pits.
The exact nature of the first building phase remains unclear, but it was most likely a temporary form of settlement, probably in the military sphere. The features from the second phase can be linked to numerous types of military buildings, but the finds suggest a more civil function.
Taking into consideration the local production of pottery and the highly Romanized nature of the finds, this phase was interpreted as a semi military settlement. Parallels were drawn with sites such as Corbridge, which were civil settlements producing and transporting goods for the army and with Valkenburg, where civil and military settlements existed alongside each other. The third and final phase proved to be significantly different from the previous two, with all the characteristics of the so-called strip-
houses that are common in civil settlements in this period. The function of the town seems to have changed significantly around AD 70, when it seems to have been transformed into a civil, rural settlement.
Reviews by Berber van der Meulen-van der Veen
Issue 1 by Berber van der Meulen-van der Veen
underlying gravel. On one of these piles an inscription was found. It read ETERNA, which the excavators considered to be a reference to the wish for the bridge's eternal existence. In the first half of this article we argue that it should in fact be considered a personal name, providing an analysis of the
inscription itself and comparing it to a number of parallels from various military sites in Germania Inferior. In the second half we take a closer look at the archaeological and epigraphical record in an attempt to answer the questions who this person could have been and what reason he could have
had to carve out his name.
Talks by Berber van der Meulen-van der Veen
it was meant purely for defensive strategy. Connected to this focus on defense is the idea that the Late Roman borders were straining under the stress of "barbarian" incursions
and migration. Both assumptions will be challenged in this paper.
This will be done by mapping the archaeological evidence for Roman military investments and activities between AD 260 and 406/7 in the Dutch river area (Rhine and Meuse) and coastal area (Litus Saxonicum). A number of dynamic maps will be presented, showing how the "limes zone" (taken here in its broadest sense) developed during this period. These developments will be taken as a proxy value for the changing socio-economic landscape of the Late Roman empire, in order to investigate paradigms on migration and
violence.
In more recent years, however, suspicion has been raised about the supposed military nature of this settlement. The aim of this thesis was to revisit all the original documentation and finds and not only date this occupation phase more precisely, but also find out more about its nature and function. This was be done by working out parts of the excavation and comparing the results with other sites.
It was found that there were three separate building phases, respectively dating unknown to AD 40/50, AD 40/50-70 and AD 70-100. Each building phase was quite distinct in its features and finds. Besides these structural remains, a pottery kiln was excavated that proved to be contemporary with the second building phase. No evidence was found that the aforementioned ditches were anything more than large pits.
The first building phase remains unclear, but it was most likely a temporary form of settlement, probably in the military sphere. The features from the second phase can be linked to numerous types of military buildings, but the finds suggest a more civil function. Taking into consideration the local production of pottery and the highly Romanized nature of the finds, this phase was interpreted as a semi military settlement. A parallel has been drawn with sites such as Corbridge, which were civil settlements producing and transporting goods for the army and with Valkenburg, where civil and military settlements existed alongside eachother. The third and final phase is significantly different from the previous two, and has all the characteristics of the so-called strip-houses that are common in rural settlements in this period. The function of the town seems to have changed significantly around AD 70, and the town seems to have been transformed into a civil, rural settlement.
Call for Papers by Berber van der Meulen-van der Veen
Conference Presentations by Berber van der Meulen-van der Veen
voor het Oudheidkundig Bodemonderzoek (ROB) at the location of the Late
Roman bridge at Cuijk. Three intact bridge piers were discovered consisting
of large wooden piles with iron shoes that were driven into the sand and the
underlying gravel. On one of these piles an inscription was found. It read
ETERNA, which the excavators considered to be a reference to the wish for
the bridge's eternal existence. In the first half of this article we argue that it
should in fact be considered a personal name, providing an analysis of the
inscription itself and comparing it to a number of parallels from various
military sites in Germania Inferior. In the second half we take a closer look
at the archaeological and epigraphical record in an attempt to answer the
questions who this person could have been and what reason he could have
had to carve out his name.
Cuijk. Traces were found dating from the Mesolithic to the modern age. Part of the findings was a Claudian castellum consisting of wooden structures surrounded by a double V-shaped ditch. Unfortunately, the results were never fully published.
In more recent years, however, suspicions were raised about the supposed military nature of the site. The aim of this thesis was to revisit all the original documentation and finds and not only date the castellum more precisely, but also find out more about its nature and function. This was done through a more detailed study of the finds and features and a comparison with other sites.
It was found that three distinct building phases could be identified, respectively dating unknown to AD 40/50, AD 40/50-70 and AD 70-100. Each building phase was quite unique in its characteristics. Besides the incomplete remains of several building plans, a pottery kiln was excavated that proved to be contemporary with the second building phase. No evidence was found that the aforementioned ditches were anything more than large pits.
The exact nature of the first building phase remains unclear, but it was most likely a temporary form of settlement, probably in the military sphere. The features from the second phase can be linked to numerous types of military buildings, but the finds suggest a more civil function.
Taking into consideration the local production of pottery and the highly Romanized nature of the finds, this phase was interpreted as a semi military settlement. Parallels were drawn with sites such as Corbridge, which were civil settlements producing and transporting goods for the army and with Valkenburg, where civil and military settlements existed alongside each other. The third and final phase proved to be significantly different from the previous two, with all the characteristics of the so-called strip-
houses that are common in civil settlements in this period. The function of the town seems to have changed significantly around AD 70, when it seems to have been transformed into a civil, rural settlement.
underlying gravel. On one of these piles an inscription was found. It read ETERNA, which the excavators considered to be a reference to the wish for the bridge's eternal existence. In the first half of this article we argue that it should in fact be considered a personal name, providing an analysis of the
inscription itself and comparing it to a number of parallels from various military sites in Germania Inferior. In the second half we take a closer look at the archaeological and epigraphical record in an attempt to answer the questions who this person could have been and what reason he could have
had to carve out his name.
it was meant purely for defensive strategy. Connected to this focus on defense is the idea that the Late Roman borders were straining under the stress of "barbarian" incursions
and migration. Both assumptions will be challenged in this paper.
This will be done by mapping the archaeological evidence for Roman military investments and activities between AD 260 and 406/7 in the Dutch river area (Rhine and Meuse) and coastal area (Litus Saxonicum). A number of dynamic maps will be presented, showing how the "limes zone" (taken here in its broadest sense) developed during this period. These developments will be taken as a proxy value for the changing socio-economic landscape of the Late Roman empire, in order to investigate paradigms on migration and
violence.
In more recent years, however, suspicion has been raised about the supposed military nature of this settlement. The aim of this thesis was to revisit all the original documentation and finds and not only date this occupation phase more precisely, but also find out more about its nature and function. This was be done by working out parts of the excavation and comparing the results with other sites.
It was found that there were three separate building phases, respectively dating unknown to AD 40/50, AD 40/50-70 and AD 70-100. Each building phase was quite distinct in its features and finds. Besides these structural remains, a pottery kiln was excavated that proved to be contemporary with the second building phase. No evidence was found that the aforementioned ditches were anything more than large pits.
The first building phase remains unclear, but it was most likely a temporary form of settlement, probably in the military sphere. The features from the second phase can be linked to numerous types of military buildings, but the finds suggest a more civil function. Taking into consideration the local production of pottery and the highly Romanized nature of the finds, this phase was interpreted as a semi military settlement. A parallel has been drawn with sites such as Corbridge, which were civil settlements producing and transporting goods for the army and with Valkenburg, where civil and military settlements existed alongside eachother. The third and final phase is significantly different from the previous two, and has all the characteristics of the so-called strip-houses that are common in rural settlements in this period. The function of the town seems to have changed significantly around AD 70, and the town seems to have been transformed into a civil, rural settlement.