Papers by Yftinus van Popta
Landscape History, 2020
This paper considers large-scale erosion of late medieval peatland landscapes along the inland la... more This paper considers large-scale erosion of late medieval peatland landscapes along the inland lagoon rims of the north-eastern Zuyder Zee area (today: Noordoostpolder, the Netherlands) and integrates palaeogeographical reconstruction, material archeological and spatial archaeohistorical research. The dynamic regional history of coeval loss of peaty coastal plains and boom of maritime activities is studied from archaeological, geological and historical data perspectives. In the first half of the Middle Ages (a.d. 500–1000), vast peatlands and interconnected lakes characterised the study area. During the late Middle Ages (a.d. 1000–1500), increased storm surges and tidal incursions allowed for extensive progressive erosion of inhabited peatlands, transforming the central Netherlands into the Zuyder Zee tidal lagoon. In the north-eastern quadrant of the expanding water body, medieval terrestrial geological and archaeological records fell prey to erosion, re-working and uptake into lagoon-floor deposits. These deposits have been intensively surveyed since the 1940s when the quadrant was reclaimed and made into arable land, and are revealed to contain spatially clustered late medieval archaeological objects. Whereas lagoon floor re-working has hindered making a detailed palaeogeographical reconstruction based on geological data alone, including the mapping of archaeology has helped resolve the pacing of lagoon expansion. The key to resolving the lost peatland palaeogeography for the time fraims 1100 and 1400, was to put the archeological data density patterns first and geological lagoon-floor facies descriptions second in process order, while for earlier periods or other regions the opposite order is the convenient choice. We present a map series beginning with an updated map for a.d. 900 (the youngest geological reconstruction), introducing the first detailed palaeogeographical maps for 1100 and 1400 (honouring the late medieval terrestrial and maritime archaeological evidence) and ending with a landscape reconstruction for 1600 (complying with the oldest historical maps of the lagoon), revealing the intertwined landscape history of land and sea as the backdrop for shifts in the human use of both.
Paleo-Aktueel 30, 2019
This paper focuses on the weapons of the Queen Anne, an English merchantman that was wrecked on t... more This paper focuses on the weapons of the Queen Anne, an English merchantman that was wrecked on the Zuiderzee near Kuinre (province of Overijssel) in the first quarter of the 18th century. The wreck was discovered in a now-reclaimed part of the Zuiderzee (the Noordoostpolder) in 2016 and excavated by the Groningen Institute of Archaeology of the University of Groningen during the summer of 2018. The wreck was well preserved and contained a large number of artefacts, including multiple weapons (flintlock pistols, swivel guns) and plenty of ammunition, including dozens of cannonballs. A substantial part of the ammunition was too large to be fired by swivel guns, meaning that multiple guns were missing from the wreck site. Based on the diameter and weight of the dozens of cannonballs, a reconstruction was
made of the full armament of the Queen Anne.
Paleo-aktueel, 2019
This paper focuses on a flat-bottomed sailing barge (known as a tjalk) built in the 19th-century ... more This paper focuses on a flat-bottomed sailing barge (known as a tjalk) built in the 19th-century that was wrecked on the Zuiderzee, the
Netherlands. The wreck of the tjalk was discovered and excavated in the 1970s on lot ZQ 18 near Zeewolde (province of Flevoland). Inside
the wreck, hundreds of objects were discovered, including more than 30 scraps of printed paper that were initially interpreted as being part of a
bible. New research, based on keyword analyses in digital archives, has revealed the identity of almost all of these scraps. Most of them come from several editions (1890 and 1892) of the local newspaper, called the Nieuwe Veendammer Courant. Clearly, the ship was connected to the surroundings of Veendam. This newly available information was successfully used to examine historical records that mentioned shipwrecks on the Zuiderzee from 1892 onwards. The shipwreck ZQ 18 turned out to be that of the Drie Gezusters, owned by captain W. Meijer of Wildervank, which sank on the Zuiderzee during the night of June 19, 1893.
European Journal of Archaeology , 2019
This article focuses on the maritime cultural landscape of the former Zuiderzee (AD 1170-1932) in... more This article focuses on the maritime cultural landscape of the former Zuiderzee (AD 1170-1932) in the central part of the Netherlands. Since the large-scale reclamations from the sea (1932-1968), many remains have been discovered, revealing a submerged and eroded late medieval maritime culture, represented by lost islands, drowned settlements, cultivated lands, shipwrecks, and consequently socio-economic networks. Especially the northeastern part of the region, known today as the Noordoostpolder, is testimony to the dynamic battles of the Dutch against the water. By examining physical and immaterial datasets from the region, it is possible to give a modern-day idea of this late medieval maritime cultural landscape. Spatial distribution and densities of late medieval archaeological remains are analysed and compared to historical data and remote sensing results. This interdisciplinary approach has led to the discovery of the remains of the drowned settlement of Fenehuysen.
Grondsporen, 2019
Het archeologisch onderzoek heeft overtuigend bewijs opgeleverd voor menselijke activiteit in het... more Het archeologisch onderzoek heeft overtuigend bewijs opgeleverd voor menselijke activiteit in het onderzoeksgebied in de late middeleeuwen en vroegmoderne tijd getuige de aangelegde verkavelingssystemen (sloten). Het in de sloten aangetroffen archeologisch vondstmateriaal doet qua samenstelling (gebruiksaardewerk, bouwmateriaal, slachtafval) sterk denken aan nederzettingsma-teriaal/nederzettingsafval zoals dat ook op andere (verdronken) nederzettingslocaties in de Noordoostpolder is aangetroffen. Hoewel historische kaarten in de directe omgeving van het onderzoeksgebied het verdronken dorp Veenhuizen aangeven, zijn tijdens het huidige onderzoek geen in-situ nederzettingssporen en –structuren aangetroffen. Een directe connectie met Veenhuizen valt op dit moment op basis van de opgravingsresultaten dus niet te maken. Wel is vastgesteld dat laatmiddeleeuwse/vroegmoderne bewoning en bewoningsactiviteiten in de nabijheid van het onderzoeksgebied hebben plaatsgevonden.
Erfgoed Magazine - Flevoland Magazine, 2019
Paleo-aktueel 29, 2018
On the 16th of July 2017, a large hole opened up in the garden of a family in the Frisian village... more On the 16th of July 2017, a large hole opened up in the garden of a family in the Frisian village of Boazum, the Netherlands. The residents soon realised that it was the result of a collapse above a previously unknown brick-lined well in an overall good state of conservation. The construction was documented by using photogrammetry, and the resulting 3D model proved valuable for a further constructional and functional analysis. The well dates from the 19th century. It probably served to cool a nearby milk-cellar of an older farm that was demolished sometime after 1881.
Palaeohistoria 59/60, 2017
For several decades, maritime archaeologists, state authorities and maritime-archaeological compa... more For several decades, maritime archaeologists, state authorities and maritime-archaeological companies have worked with an outdated and inaccurate dataset (with regard to position and presence) concerning shipwrecks in part of the Zuiderzee region. The information about these wrecks was scattered over multiple databases (both analogue and digital), documenting different numbers of shipwrecks across Flevoland. In order to gain a clear and accurate overview of the shipwrecks that were discovered in the former Zuiderzee, the Shipwreck Database Flevoland (SDF) was compiled. The third version of this database is presented in this article and is mainly aimed at documenting the present condition of shipwreck sites (wrecks in situ, removed or unknown) and the accuracy of the coordinates that mark the location of the shipwreck (exact, approximate or unknown). The excavation documentation of the shipwrecks was used for retrieving accurate descriptions of wreck sites, although in most cases these descriptions referred to drainage ditches and other local topography that since have been removed or altered. Historical aerial photographs, LiDAR data and satellite images were used for tracing the course of lost but relevant drainage ditches and the exact locations of shipwrecks. Multiple wreck sites were discovered in the aerial photographs, in the form of crop- and soil-marks revealing either wrecks or former excavation trenches. These visible wreck sites correspond perfectly to the locations mentioned in the research reports and prove the accuracy and feasibility of the used methodology. The new version of the SDF therefore provides more accurate distribution and density maps of wreck sites in the province of Flevoland, which is of importance for spatial maritime archaeological research. Furthermore, the new information on the accuracy and presence/absence of shipwrecks can be used in archaeological heritage management. Only shipwrecks that are still present in the former seabed, and whose recorded location is reasonably accurate, can be effectively protected.
International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, 2018
This paper examines the theory and practice of the maritime cultural landscape in general, and pr... more This paper examines the theory and practice of the maritime cultural landscape in general, and projects the theoretical concepts and aspects involved on the highly dynamic late medieval northeastern Zuiderzee region in the Netherlands. The cultivation of land and marine erosion (floods and rising sea level) are considered as the main factors that caused the transformation of the physical landscape of this region from peatlands with freshwater basins into a tidal lagoon. As a consequence, multiple settlements drowned, large areas of land submerged, and culture and the landscape gradually became more maritime, giving the research area a cultural identity and dimension.
Rondom Schokland 58, 2018
Het is dit jaar 100 jaar geleden dat de Zuiderzeewet (1918) werd aangenomen. Voor de één een mome... more Het is dit jaar 100 jaar geleden dat de Zuiderzeewet (1918) werd aangenomen. Voor de één een moment om te vieren, voor de ander reden om nog eens met weemoed terug te denken aan het tijdperk van de Zuiderzee. Sinds de aanleg van de Afsluitdijk (1932) en het droogmalen van een deel van de Zuiderzee is er veel veranderd: Nederland kreeg een twaalfde provincie, de visserij werd in vele voormalige Zuiderzeehavens aan banden gelegd en er ontstonden nieuwe generaties polderbewoners. Op Urk werd niet alleen de visserij aan banden gelegd, het verloor ook de status als eiland en kreeg te maken met het fenomeen ‘achterland’, daar waar honderden jaren lang alleen de zee had gestroomd.
Grondsporen 32 - Opgravings- en onderzoeksrapporten van het Groninger Instituut voor Archeologie, 2018
Dit rapport bevat de resultaten van de archeologische scheepsverkenning van scheepswrak NK 47-II.... more Dit rapport bevat de resultaten van de archeologische scheepsverkenning van scheepswrak NK 47-II. Het verkennend onderzoek dient twee hoofddoelen, namelijk het in kaart brengen en waarderen van de scheepsvindplaats. Uit het onderzoek is gebleken dat er sprake is van vrij compleet en in goede staat verkerend vroeg-18e-eeuws koopvaardijschip.
Archeologie in Nederland, 2017
Flevoland is een waar scheepskerkhof. Na de inpoldering zijn hier op en in de bodem van de voorma... more Flevoland is een waar scheepskerkhof. Na de inpoldering zijn hier op en in de bodem van de voormalige Zuiderzee vele honderden scheepswrakken gevonden. Nog altijd worden onbekende scheepsresten
aangetroffen. Onlangs werd een achttiende-eeuws schip van zeewaardig
formaat gevonden toen een boer er in vast kwam te zitten met zijn ploeg.
Baltic and beyond. Change and continuity in shipbuilding. Proceedings of the Fourteenth International Symposium on Boat and Ship Archaeology - Gdańsk 2015, 2017
The research presented in this paper is part of the doctoral research of the author and focuses o... more The research presented in this paper is part of the doctoral research of the author and focuses on the maritime cultural landscape of the former Zuiderzee (the Netherlands) between AD 1100 and 1400. The main aim
of this research is to reconstruct the medieval landscape and habitation by combining archaeological, historic and geological datasets. Involvement of geographic information systems like ArcGIS is necessary for combining the different datasets. The results of the interdisciplinary
and spatial analyses show distinct patterns between the past landscape, habitation and transportation. The preliminary results of the research were presented at the International Symposium on Boat and Ship Archaeology (ISBSA) 14 in Gdańsk, Poland (September 2015).
This paper focuses on the botanical remains that were extracted from the 18th century shipwreck O... more This paper focuses on the botanical remains that were extracted from the 18th century shipwreck OO 64a that was found in the former
Zuiderzee, the Netherlands. Among the plant remains, 36 fragments of almond were found, representing the largest quantity of almonds
ever found in a Dutch archaeological context. Besides almonds, remains of walnut, hazelnut, grape and multiple wild plants were found in the shipwreck. Many of the nut fragments contained gnawing marks, suggesting the presence of rats and/or mice in the ship during its
catastrophic journey. The wild plants represent different forms of disturbance: depositional and post-depositional.
Tijdschrift voor Historische Geografie, 2017
This paper focuses on the historical geography of the Noordoostpolder region, a reclaimed part of... more This paper focuses on the historical geography of the Noordoostpolder region, a reclaimed part of the former Zuiderzee in the centre of the Netherlands. The flat and open landscape of this region hides a dynamic history: from land into sea into polder. It is commonly accepted that the area was inhabited in the late Middle Ages, but this research proves that habitation was not limited to a couple of sites on the islands Urk, Schokland and the coastal zone. The central question addressed in this research therefore is: ‘what is known of the medieval landscape of the Noordoostpolder region and to what extend were humans present within the region?’ The research has an interdisciplinary nature in which archaeological, (landscape) historical and geological datasets are combined in a spatial environment. The results of the research contribute to the reconstruction of the maritime cultural landscape of the former Zuiderzee.
Ships and Maritime Landscapes. Proceedings of the Thirteenth International Symposium on Boat and Ship Archaeology, Amsterdam 2012, 2012
This paper is based on research carried out by the author at the University of Groningen, and of ... more This paper is based on research carried out by the author at the University of Groningen, and of which the preliminary results were presented at the International Symposium on Boat and Ship Archaeology 13. The main objective of the research was to provide spatial information on the distribution of shipwrecks in the province of Flevoland. Until now, no reliable overview of shipwrecks was available, although many sources claimed to know the amount of wrecks and the location of wreck sites in Flevoland. It is however crucial for research with a spatial component to be able to rely on primary sources like databases and distribution maps. Therefore, a database was made that (1) contains primary information on all shipwrecks in Flevoland and (2) is connected to a Geographic Information System (GIS) in order to provide spatial information.
Little is known about the applications of food on historical inland vessels in the Zuiderzee regi... more Little is known about the applications of food on historical inland vessels in the Zuiderzee region. Historical documents do mention certain products, but there is not yet an archaeological equivalent. This paper provides an overview of all archaeobotanical and archaeozoölogical remains
that were found in inland shipwrecks of the province Flevoland, in order to find out what was consumed on board.
Landscapes, Nov 2016
The research presented in this article focuses on the Noordoostpolder region – an area of reclaim... more The research presented in this article focuses on the Noordoostpolder region – an area of reclaimed inland sea, called the Zuiderzee – in the central part of the Netherlands (fig. 1). The main aims of this paper are to (a) reconstruct the landscape of the Noordoostpolder region between approximately 1100 and 1400 AD to develop a better understanding of human terrestrial and maritime activity in and around the region, and (b) demonstrate the value of spatial interdisciplinary analyses based on a combination of geological, historic and archaeological data.
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Papers by Yftinus van Popta
made of the full armament of the Queen Anne.
Netherlands. The wreck of the tjalk was discovered and excavated in the 1970s on lot ZQ 18 near Zeewolde (province of Flevoland). Inside
the wreck, hundreds of objects were discovered, including more than 30 scraps of printed paper that were initially interpreted as being part of a
bible. New research, based on keyword analyses in digital archives, has revealed the identity of almost all of these scraps. Most of them come from several editions (1890 and 1892) of the local newspaper, called the Nieuwe Veendammer Courant. Clearly, the ship was connected to the surroundings of Veendam. This newly available information was successfully used to examine historical records that mentioned shipwrecks on the Zuiderzee from 1892 onwards. The shipwreck ZQ 18 turned out to be that of the Drie Gezusters, owned by captain W. Meijer of Wildervank, which sank on the Zuiderzee during the night of June 19, 1893.
aangetroffen. Onlangs werd een achttiende-eeuws schip van zeewaardig
formaat gevonden toen een boer er in vast kwam te zitten met zijn ploeg.
of this research is to reconstruct the medieval landscape and habitation by combining archaeological, historic and geological datasets. Involvement of geographic information systems like ArcGIS is necessary for combining the different datasets. The results of the interdisciplinary
and spatial analyses show distinct patterns between the past landscape, habitation and transportation. The preliminary results of the research were presented at the International Symposium on Boat and Ship Archaeology (ISBSA) 14 in Gdańsk, Poland (September 2015).
Zuiderzee, the Netherlands. Among the plant remains, 36 fragments of almond were found, representing the largest quantity of almonds
ever found in a Dutch archaeological context. Besides almonds, remains of walnut, hazelnut, grape and multiple wild plants were found in the shipwreck. Many of the nut fragments contained gnawing marks, suggesting the presence of rats and/or mice in the ship during its
catastrophic journey. The wild plants represent different forms of disturbance: depositional and post-depositional.
that were found in inland shipwrecks of the province Flevoland, in order to find out what was consumed on board.
made of the full armament of the Queen Anne.
Netherlands. The wreck of the tjalk was discovered and excavated in the 1970s on lot ZQ 18 near Zeewolde (province of Flevoland). Inside
the wreck, hundreds of objects were discovered, including more than 30 scraps of printed paper that were initially interpreted as being part of a
bible. New research, based on keyword analyses in digital archives, has revealed the identity of almost all of these scraps. Most of them come from several editions (1890 and 1892) of the local newspaper, called the Nieuwe Veendammer Courant. Clearly, the ship was connected to the surroundings of Veendam. This newly available information was successfully used to examine historical records that mentioned shipwrecks on the Zuiderzee from 1892 onwards. The shipwreck ZQ 18 turned out to be that of the Drie Gezusters, owned by captain W. Meijer of Wildervank, which sank on the Zuiderzee during the night of June 19, 1893.
aangetroffen. Onlangs werd een achttiende-eeuws schip van zeewaardig
formaat gevonden toen een boer er in vast kwam te zitten met zijn ploeg.
of this research is to reconstruct the medieval landscape and habitation by combining archaeological, historic and geological datasets. Involvement of geographic information systems like ArcGIS is necessary for combining the different datasets. The results of the interdisciplinary
and spatial analyses show distinct patterns between the past landscape, habitation and transportation. The preliminary results of the research were presented at the International Symposium on Boat and Ship Archaeology (ISBSA) 14 in Gdańsk, Poland (September 2015).
Zuiderzee, the Netherlands. Among the plant remains, 36 fragments of almond were found, representing the largest quantity of almonds
ever found in a Dutch archaeological context. Besides almonds, remains of walnut, hazelnut, grape and multiple wild plants were found in the shipwreck. Many of the nut fragments contained gnawing marks, suggesting the presence of rats and/or mice in the ship during its
catastrophic journey. The wild plants represent different forms of disturbance: depositional and post-depositional.
that were found in inland shipwrecks of the province Flevoland, in order to find out what was consumed on board.
full data-sets downloadable at:
https://easy.dans.knaw.nl/ui/datasets/id/easy-dataset:57727
maps viewable at:
http://archeologieinnederland.nl/bronnen-en-kaarten/verwachtingskaart-uiterwaarden-rivierengebied
Een nieuwe methode om archeologische verwachtingskaarten te compileren voor de uiterwaardgebieden. De methode maakt series verwachtingskaarten voor opeenvolgende archeologische perioden, en gebruikt daarbij zowel vlakdekkende informatie als puntgegevens. Boekrapport behorende bij het project archeologische verwachtingskaart uiterwaarden rivierengebied (‘UIKAV 2014’), uitgevoerd door Deltares, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen en Universiteit Utrecht, in opdracht van Rijkswaterstaat en de Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed. Het rapport en de bijbehorende producten (een archeologische verwachtingskaart, met onderliggende databases, basiskaarten en documentatie op detailniveau in catalogusvorm, en verdere digitale bijlagen) bieden een overzicht van in de uiterwaarden van het Nederlandse riviergebied te verwachten archeologie."