Search publications of the members of the Royal Belgian institute of natural Sciences
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Revision of the Afrotropical land snail genus Avakubia Pilsbry, 1919, with description of Pseudavakubia gen. n. and eleven new species (Gastropoda: Pulmonata: Streptaxidae)
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Description de Polia krauseri n. sp. (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Buccinidae) des Iles Marquises (Polunésie française)
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Description of a new species of Terebra (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Terebridae) from French Polynesia
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Revision of the subfamily Onychalginae Fain, 1988 (Acariformes: Pyroglyphidae) - ectoparasites of passerine birds
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Archaeozoology of the Near East X. Proceedings of the tenth international symposium on the archaeozoology of south-western Asia and adjacent areas
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A leopard in the Predynastic Elite Cemetery HK6 at Hierakonpolis, Egypt
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A forest fire and soil erosion event during the Late Devonian mass extinction.
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Selective woodland exploitation for charcoal production. A detailed analysis of charcoal kiln remains (ca. 1300-1900 AD) from Zoersel (northern Belgium)
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Lateglacial and Holocene fluvial dynamics in the Lower Scheldt basin (N-Belgium) and their impact on the presence, detection and preservation potential of the archaeological record
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Etude archéozoologique du sanctuaire romain de Jupille (Liège). Rapport final d’étude pour le Service Public de Wallonie-DGO4-Département du Patrimoine, 12 p.
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La gestion des ressources lithiques dans l’ensemble gravettien de Maisières-Canal (Bassin de Mons, Hainaut, B). Nouvelles perspectives
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Les occupations pré-romaines
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La gestion des ressources lithiques dans l’ensemble gravettien de Maisières-Canal (Bassin de Mons, Hainaut, B). Nouvelles perspectives
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The mysteries of Egyptian Nile perch (Lates niloticus). The case of Tell Tweini (Syria, Middle Bronze Age-Iron Age)
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A slice of veal with your stale bread? Faunal remains from the 18th century latrine at the abbey of Clairefontaine (Belgium)
- Analysis of faunal remains coming from archaeological contexts of abbeys have been carried out in several European countries. In Belgium, although such studies are available for the north of the country (Flanders), they are still lacking for the southern part (Wallonia). The study of animal bones unearthed in the Cistercian nunnery of Clairefontaine (1247-1794) helps to fill this gap. Here, we focus on the 18th century latrine in which animal remains were collected by hand. In addition, samples were taken in the filling of the structure for a total of 80 liters of sediments and were wet sieved to recover the small bone fragments. The information gathered during the faunal analysis are presented and then compared with historical sources, especially the account books of the abbey, to provide a more accurate insight into the diet of the sisters. It appears that consumption of meat was not uncommon. The relative diversity of foods consumed and some unusual findings are indicative of the high status of the abbey of Clairefontaine, which is also revealed by plant remains and material culture.
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Il était une fois Clairefontaine: le quotidien des nonnes d'une abbaye cistercienne au 18ème siècle
- L'abbaye de Clairefontaine, située près d'Arlon en Belgique, a été fondée au 13ème siècle et détruite lors de la Révolution française à la fin du 18ème siècle. Bien qu’après la suppression de la communauté, les bâtiments aient subi un grand démantèlement, les recherches archéologiques ont pu révéler, entre autre, les vestiges souterrains de l'abbaye du 18ème siècle. A la suite de la découverte de latrines dans la partie sud du complexe monastique, une fouille approfondie a été mise en place et des prélèvements sédimentaires ont été effectués. Une étude interdisciplinaire détaillée a ainsi pu être envisagée. En effet, de nombreux restes botaniques (pollen et spores, graines, fruits, charbons de bois et bois imbibés), zoologiques (os de mammifères, oiseaux, poissons, batraciens et carapaces de crustacés) mais aussi de verre et de poterie ont été retrouvés. Les latrines étaient construites sur un ruisseau permettant l’évacuation régulière des déchets par afflux d'eau. Cet ensemble nous donne un aperçu des rejets de la dernière génération des sœurs présentes à Clairefontaine, la majeure partie des vestiges archéologiques est en effet datée entre 1830 et 1794. Les données archéozoologiques et archéobotaniques détaillées sont comparées avec les études historiques et matérielles, afin d'illustrer les conditions de vie et les pratiques alimentaires dans ce couvent rural du 18ème siècle. La relative diversité de la nourriture consommée et la présence de produits inhabituels sont révélateurs du haut statut social des occupantes de l’abbaye.
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The Middle Ages archaeobotanical data in Wallonia (southern Belgium): a review
- Since the spring of 2011, a multidisciplinary team of bioarchaeology was established at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (IRSNB-KBINS). This team collaborates with the Public Service of Wallonia (SPW) and works on all “preventive archaeological sites” excavated in Wallonia (Southern Belgium). The majority of sites studied since the beginning of the implementation of this new service are dated to the medieval period. For several years, archaeobotanical studies were conducted more specific in Wallonia but rarely combined with other scientific studies and published. The purpose of this presentation is to review all existing archaeobotanical data for the medieval period in the Wallonia region and add those recently made by the new collaborations between archaeobotanists of the Institute (including seeds and fruit studies, wood charcoals studies, pollens studies and so one...). We can thus have an overview of the status and the nature of vegetation cover during this period of history and we can also have an approach of plant species harvested and consumed by medieval populations of current southern Belgium.
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Aspects of agriculture and diet of the Medieval period (10th-12th century AD) in northern France
- Archaeobotanical investigations of six medieval sites in Northern France (Picardy) have provided charred and mineralised plant remains (seeds and fruits). Despite some taphonomical constraints of the different preservation of these plant assemblages, archaeobotanical analysis revealed valuable information on the diet, the agriculture and the horticultural production of the medieval population in Northern France between 10th and 12th Century AD. The archaeobotanical results were influenced by the different types of features from which macro-remains were retrieved and by the reliability of the samples. The main crops plants were naked wheat and rye. The pulses, pea and common vetch are the major common crops with field bean. Fruits are very abundant and attest a wide-spread fructiculture. The number of recorded remains from the “wild forest fruits” raises the question of their probable cultivation or of their exploitation in forest. The Vineyard seems very well implanted in the region. Recurring macrorests of fig question about the status imported of Mediterranean fruits or cultivated locally by the tree. The social context of four archaeological sites is high. The potential of archaeobotanical data helping to identify social differences by defining archaeobotanical indicators of social level is to be discussed from the food practices and the diet. Finally, the mineralization process is approached and its induction by practices of purification within latrines / pits garbage dumps is suggested.
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Consumption patterns and living conditions in 18th century rural nunnery: an interdisciplinary study on the latrine of Clairefontaine (south-eastern Belgium) with special attention to botanical remains
- The abbey of Clairefontaine, situated near Arlon in Belgium, was founded in the 13th century and destroyed during the French Revolution at the end of the 18th century. Although the abbey buildings were largely dismantled after the suppression of the community, archaeological research revealed the underground remains of the 18th century monastery. A latrine was discovered on the south side of the monastic complex and excavated for a detailed interdisciplinary study. Plenty of macro-botanical and faunal remains, glass and pottery have indeed been found throughout the profile; analyses of plant micro-remains were also performed. The major part of the archaeological remains dates between the second quarter and the end of the 18th century. Built over a narrow stream, the latrine underwent regular waste evacuation by the inflow of water. It is then supposed to give an insight into cabinet of the last generation of sisters present at Clairefontaine. A clear stratification is however observed with five different units delivering contrasted archaeobiological results. We will focus here on the archaeobotanical data, which will be discussed in detail and compared with archaeozoological and historical studies, in order to illustrate the lifestyle and the consumption in a rural nunnery from the 18th century.
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Archaeobotanical traces of food consumption in medieval and post-medieval Brussels (Belgium)
- In the study of the historical development of a city, archaeobotanical research can be a valuable addition to archaeological and historical sources. It can give us a better understanding of human diet, trade networks, socio-economic differentiation, agricultural developments and environmental conditions in the past. The archaeobotanical research of the old city center of Brussels is still in its infancy but in the last two decades macroremains from 17 sites were studied. While in the first decade these analyses were done on a rather small scale, since 2008 the macrobotanical investigations are carried out more systematically. We give a synthesis of the present carpological data from Brussels, from which we define some research questions for future studies. The oldest analyzed contexts in Brussels date back to the 11th century, the youngest to the 19th/20th century. Of particular interest are the studies of waterlogged waste pits and latrines. In Brussels they often provide very good preservation conditions. Macrobotanical finds in these contexts give direct evidence of human food consumption and shed light on imported trade ware and the status of the users of the structures.
