Urban waste from the medieval river Senne in Brussels

The river Senne has disappeared from the urban landscape since it was vaulted over in the 19th century, but it played a crucial role in the origin and economic development of the medieval city. In 2019 the remains of the medieval port on the river Senne were brought to light during a large excavation (nearly 6000m2) in the city centre of Brussels. Besides the discovery of a 12th-13th century bank reinforcement and an impressive stone quay wall (mainly 14th-15th century), meters thick excellently preserved waterlogged fluvial deposits from different phases of the river were excavated. These layers, dating between the 10th and 15th century, were extensively sampled for archaeobotanical(macrobotanical remains, pollen and phytoliths), archaeozoological and geoarchaeological studies. In this presentation we will discuss the results of the interdisciplinary study of these numerous samples, with a main focus on the plant remains. The assemblages consist of a mixture of naturally deposited material from the vegetation in the Senne valley and waste dumped in the river. Indeed, as urbanisation intensified, the river became used as an open sewer in which all kinds of refuse were disposed of. Thanks to the interdisciplinary approach and comparison with assemblages from several other sites in Brussels diverse types of waste could be distinguished, including artisanal(e.g. textile working and dyeing), domestic and consumption waste as well as remains of fuel and human and animal excrements. The exceptional diversity of the plant material (>300 taxa) recovered from this fluvial urban context and its perfect preservation offer a unique insight into various aspects of daily life in the city.

Abstract of an Oral Presentation or a Poster