“Time capsule” of objects found in 15th century cesspit
The discovery was made during construction works for an underground waste container in the centre of Alkmaar, a city and municipality in the Netherlands.- Advertisement -
Archaeologists have determined that the cesspit was actively used as a toilet and for rubbish disposal between AD 1450 and 1558. After this period, the houses on the site were demolished and the pit fell into disuse.
Excavations have revealed a “time capsule” of objects preserved in the waterlogged, anaerobic conditions of the pit. The most notable find is a wooden clog made from birch, a tree not native to the Netherlands.
City archaeologist Nancy de Jong, said: “In the history of the Netherlands and Belgium, only 44 clogs have been found. Most of them are a lot less old and are in a far less condition.”
According to de Jong, the people of 15th-century Holland practiced a “circular economy,” where everything was reused, melted down, or ultimately burned to heat their homes.- Advertisement -
