Koen Deforce
Biographic Data
| ID | 143954 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Koen Deforce |
| GIVEN NAMES | Koen |
| FAMILY NAME | Deforce |
| SIGNATURE | DEFORCE K |
| AFFILIATIONS | Institute of Natural Sciences |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-3075-2564 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 46 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 126 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 46 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2005 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 7 |
Seeing yew for the forest: A call to action for improving conservation and restoration of the European yew (Taxus baccata L.)
International audience
Neither Monotonous nor Meager: A Multidisciplinary Analysis of Food Consumption in Delft
Reconstruction of past diets poses significant challenges for historians and archaeologists alike. Archival records from Delft’s orphanage between 1650 and 1725 provide data regarding the number and weight of plant and animal food items purchased. Cesspit evidence offers complementary insights into diet based on the edible plant and animal species present in the fill as well as some insights into the health of the inhabitants based on parasite pr…
A copper alloy vessel deposition from Elewijt (Belgium): An interdisciplinary evaluation of its ritual context
During a rescue excavation in the (former) outskirts of the Roman small town or vicus of Elewijt (community of Zemst, Belgium), a deposit of copper alloy bowls was discovered containing plant remains preserved through contact with copper oxides originating from the corrosion of the artefacts. The most recent vessel was produced in the 3rd c. CE. An inscription on the bottom of one of the bowls mentions three names, possibly members of a family wh…
MesoMag: Geophysical Prospection for Mesolithic Land Use in Challenging Soil Environments
investigating pyrogenic magnetism can support identifying Mesolithic land use traces, laboratory magnetometers can facilitate soil characterisation for archaeological applications
At the Apothecary: Life in an International District in 15th-Century Bruges
In 1996, a cesspit was uncovered in the backyard of Bruges’ Spanish nation house. The interdisciplinary study of this old rescue excavation sheds new light on life in the city’s international district between the late 14th and early 16th century. The refuse in the cesspit is what is left of several generations of traders, from a well-to-do apothecary, employing alchemical apparatus in the production of pigments, to Spanish traders documented at t…
Woodland exploitation by early modern military camps and their impact on the forest environment. Anthracological analysis from Ninove-Doorn Noord (1692–1693, 1745, Belgium)
Evidence for parasites in burials and cesspits used by the clergy and general population of 13th-18th century Ghent, Belgium
Previous research on medieval populations has revealed that differences in lifestyles between groups might lead to distinct parasite infection patterns. This research aims to investigate whether comparable differences can be found in past population groups in medieval, renaissance and early modern period Ghent in Belgium. The material came from town cesspits of Oude Schaapmarkt dated to 13th–14th and 17th–18th century, pelvic sediment from six 13…
Continuity in intestinal parasite infection in Aalst (Belgium) from the medieval to the early modern period (12th-17th centuries)
OBJECTIVE: To characterize patterns in the taxonomic diversity of parasites infecting the population of Aalst, Belgium, between the 12th and 17th centuries. MATERIALS: 14 sediment samples from seven cesspits dated 1100-1700 CE. METHODS: Digital light microscopy and Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: We identified eggs of four species of helminths: whipworm (Trichuris trichiura), roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides), Echinostoma fluke…
Cremated animal remains and shattered pottery. Rare ritual deposits from the Middle to Late Bronze Age at Aalst – Siesegemkouter (Belgium)
Archaeological research at Aalst – Siesegemkouter revealed several pits within a Middle to Late Bronze Age settlement. Most of them hardly contained any artefacts, but one exception showed a structured stratigraphy with an abundance of finds, including a large amount of shattered pottery, charcoal and calcined animal bone. The study of this assemblage, and comparison with two other pits showing similarities, provides strong indications of a closi…
Fuelling the Roman salt industry. Developing a new multiproxy approach to identify peat fuel from archaeological combustion residue
OSL dating as an alternative tool for age determination of relic charcoal kilns
Chronometric studies of charcoal production remains are largely based on 14 C‐dating of associated charcoal. Owing to intrinsic limitations, however, this method provides no meaningful time resolution for post‐1650 CE features. We investigate the potential of optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of heated sandy sediments as an alternative and complementary tool for dating charcoal kiln remains. Seven samples from five relic charcoal kil…
Thinking Inside the Box: Tree-Ring Analysis, Archaeobotany and Historical Documents Reveal the Authenticity of a Remarkable 14th Century Chest Made in Antwerp
A heavy and impressive chest — part of the museum collection of the city of Antwerp — served as a strongbox to securely store the city’s historical documents, including citizen privileges, public liberties, and responsibilities. A recent dendrochronological survey revealed that the tree-ring pattern of the lid dates to 1005–1294 CE , suggesting a felling date early in the 14th century. The Silver fir wood originated from the Vosges mountains in F…
Titelseiten
The Environment and its Exploitation Along the Lower Scheldt River During the Roman Period (Wichelen, Belgium – Late 1st to 3rd Centuries AD)
The large number of rural Roman settlements known from the Low Countries is generally characterised by a poor preservation of ecological proxies due to the absence of waterlogged contexts. The riverside site of Wijmeers (Wichelen, Belgium), a small rural settlement located in the Lower Scheldt basin, represents a rare exception to this pattern. Due to the presence of a waterlogged sequence with Roman (late 1st–3rd centuries AD) waste layers, loca…
Woodan: An online database of archaeological wooden objects
Novel insights into prehistoric land use at Stonehenge by combining electromagnetic and invasive methods with a semi-automated interpretation scheme
Years of charcoal production in the Low Countries: The chronology and typology of charcoal kilns and their relation with early iron production
Diet, hygiene and health in Roman period northern Gaul: A multidisciplinary study of a latrine from an artisan household in the vicus Orolaunum (Arlon, southern Belgium, c. 250–280 CE)
Identifying Elusive Prehistoric Land Use by Integrating Electromagnetic and Invasive Survey Approaches
Electromagnetic induction survey was used to investigate the prehistoric landscape at Stonehenge.– Borehole logs and forward modelling were used to develop a semi-automated interpretation scheme.– Twenty excavations enabled the potential and limitations of the approach to be evaluated
A Multidisciplinary Analysis of Cesspits from Late Medieval and Post-Medieval Brussels, Belgium: Diet and Health in the Fourteenth to Seventeenth Centuries
Bypassing the Suess-effect: Age determination of charcoal kiln remains using OSL dating
Anomalous Radiocarbon Dates from the Early Medieval Cremation Graves from Broechem (Flanders, Belgium): Reservoir or Old Wood Effects
As part of the study of the early medieval cemetery at Broechem (Belgium), human bones from 32 cremation graves have been dated through radiocarbon ( 14 C) analysis. It was noted that many of the dates were not in accordance with the chronological ranges provided by the characteristics of the cultural artifacts deposited in the graves. In fact, the human bones were “older” than the artifacts. Subsequently, a number of animal bones (in all cases f…
Wood use in early medieval weapon production
The oldest cereals in the coversand area along the North Sea coast of NW Europe, between ca. 4800 and 3500 cal BC, at the wetland site of ‘Bazel-Sluis’ (Belgium)
The use of Scientific Techniques in the Study, Reconstruction of and Human Interaction with Woodlands: Introduction to the Special Issue
Woodlands have been integral to everyday life for thousands of years providing an environment for hunting and foraging, a resource for fuel and construction materials, a location for shelter and sa
Ashes to ashes. Fuelwood selection in Roman cremation rituals in northern Gaul
Pollen analysis of 15th century cesspits from the palace of the dukes of Burgundy in Bruges (Belgium): Evidence for the use of honey from the western Mediterranean
Tracking ancient ship routes through the analysis of caulking material from shipwrecks? The case study of two 14th century cogs from Doel (northern Belgium)
Hunting, gathering, fishing and herding: Animal exploitation in Sandy Flanders (NW Belgium) during the second half of the fifth millennium BC
At Doel, in the lower basin of the river Scheldt, excavations have revealed camp sites of the Swifterbant culture dating back to the second half of the fifth millennium BC. They document the transition period from the Late Mesolithic to the Early Neolithic in Sandy Flanders (NW Belgium). The sites were situated on the top of sandy ridges which were covered with an alluvial hardwood forest vegetation and surrounded by wetlands. Only burnt animal r…
Small things can make a big difference: A comparison of pollen and macrobotanical records of some food plants from medieval and post-medieval cesspits in the Netherlands and northern Belgium
A Multidisciplinary Analysis of Cesspits from Late Medieval and Post-Medieval Brussels, Belgium: Diet and Health in the Fourteenth to Seventeenth Centuries
X‐ray Sub‐micron Tomography as a Tool for the Study of Archaeological Wood Preserved Through the Corrosion of Metal Objects
Wood preserved in the corrosion layer of two early medieval iron objects was examined using X‐ray tomography. A state‐of‐the art multi‐resolution X‐ray tomography set‐up ( http://www.ugct.ugent.be ) provided virtual cross‐sections of the archaeological wood samples at sub‐micron resolution. These were compared with scans of samples of similar modern wood. These scans demonstrate the power of sub‐micron X‐ray tomography for wood identification, al…
Novel insights into prehistoric land use at Stonehenge by combining electromagnetic and invasive methods with a semi-automated interpretation scheme
Peat re-excavated at the Abbey of Ename (Belgium): Archaeobotanical evidence for peat extraction and long distance transport in Flanders around 1200 AD
Little is known about the medieval use of peat as fuel. Until now, most research has focused on different aspects of peat extraction but not on its consumption. However, the discovery and analysis of several fragments of peat bricks from an archaeological deposit dating around 1200 AD from the abbey of Ename (located along the upper part of the river Scheldt, near Oudenaarde, Flanders, Belgium) provided a first opportunity to gather information o…
Living in times of war: Waste of c. 1600 from two garderobe chutes in the castle of Middelburg-in-Flanders (Belgium)
The material remains and environmental data recovered during a rescue excavation in 2002-03 in the castle of the new town of Middelburg-in-Flanders throw light on the site, region and landscape in wartime. The paper discusses the historical context at the turn of the 16th century, the excavation of the castle, the taphonomy of the chutes, the analysis of the artefacts and ecological data recovered from two garderobe chutes in the upper court, and…
The historical use of ladanum. Palynological evidence from 15th and 16th century cesspits in northern Belgium
Bypassing the Suess-effect: Age determination of charcoal kiln remains using OSL dating
Wood use in early medieval weapon production
Analysis of pollen and intestinal parasite eggs from medieval graves from Nivelles, Belgium: Taphonomy of the burial ritual
Anomalous Radiocarbon Dates from the Early Medieval Cremation Graves from Broechem (Flanders, Belgium): Reservoir or Old Wood Effects
As part of the study of the early medieval cemetery at Broechem (Belgium), human bones from 32 cremation graves have been dated through radiocarbon ( 14 C) analysis. It was noted that many of the dates were not in accordance with the chronological ranges provided by the characteristics of the cultural artifacts deposited in the graves. In fact, the human bones were “older” than the artifacts. Subsequently, a number of animal bones (in all cases f…
Early and High Medieval (c. 650 AD–1250 AD) Charcoal Production and Its Impact on Woodland Composition in the Northwest-European Lowland: A Study of Charcoal Pit Kilns from Sterrebeek (Central Belgium…
The study of charcoal production pits (pit kilns), excavated in central Belgium, provides information on Early and High Medieval woodland dynamics and human impact on the forest composition in the Northwest-European Lowland. Radiocarbon dating of charcoal recovered from the kilns demonstrates two different phases of charcoal production, one during the Early Medieval period (c. 650 AD–950 AD) and one during the High Medieval period (c. 1040 AD–126…
Woodan: An online database of archaeological wooden objects
Historical Nankai-Suruga megathrust earthquakes recorded by tsunami and terrestrial mass movement deposits on the Shirasuka coastal lowlands, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan
Geological investigations of coastal sediment sequences play a key role in verifying earthquake and tsunami characteristics inferred from historical records. In this paper, we present a multi-proxy investigation of a coastal lowland site facing the Nankai-Suruga megathrust and appraise evidence for tsunamis and earthquake-triggered terrestrial mass movements occurring over the last 800 years. Combining a high-resolution chronology with X-ray comp…
Postglacial evolution of vegetation and environment in the Scheldt Basin (northern Belgium)
Evidence for parasites in burials and cesspits used by the clergy and general population of 13th-18th century Ghent, Belgium
Previous research on medieval populations has revealed that differences in lifestyles between groups might lead to distinct parasite infection patterns. This research aims to investigate whether comparable differences can be found in past population groups in medieval, renaissance and early modern period Ghent in Belgium. The material came from town cesspits of Oude Schaapmarkt dated to 13th–14th and 17th–18th century, pelvic sediment from six 13…
Fuelling the Roman salt industry. Developing a new multiproxy approach to identify peat fuel from archaeological combustion residue
Middle-Holocene alluvial forests and associated fluvial environments: A multi-proxy reconstruction from the lower Scheldt, N Belgium
Analyses of pollen, plant macrofossils (seeds, fruits, wood and mosses), molluscs, diatoms and vertebrate (mainly fish) remains allowed a detailed reconstruction of a middle-Holocene alluvial forest and its associated hydrological conditions. The use of multiple proxies resulted in a taxonomically more detailed and environmentally more comprehensive understanding of terrestrial as well as aquatic habitats. The results demonstrate possible biases …
The historical use of ladanum. Palynological evidence from 15th and 16th century cesspits in northern Belgium
Peat re-excavated at the Abbey of Ename (Belgium): Archaeobotanical evidence for peat extraction and long distance transport in Flanders around 1200 AD
Little is known about the medieval use of peat as fuel. Until now, most research has focused on different aspects of peat extraction but not on its consumption. However, the discovery and analysis of several fragments of peat bricks from an archaeological deposit dating around 1200 AD from the abbey of Ename (located along the upper part of the river Scheldt, near Oudenaarde, Flanders, Belgium) provided a first opportunity to gather information o…
Living in times of war: Waste of c. 1600 from two garderobe chutes in the castle of Middelburg-in-Flanders (Belgium)
The material remains and environmental data recovered during a rescue excavation in 2002-03 in the castle of the new town of Middelburg-in-Flanders throw light on the site, region and landscape in wartime. The paper discusses the historical context at the turn of the 16th century, the excavation of the castle, the taphonomy of the chutes, the analysis of the artefacts and ecological data recovered from two garderobe chutes in the upper court, and…
Pollen analysis of 15th century cesspits from the palace of the dukes of Burgundy in Bruges (Belgium): Evidence for the use of honey from the western Mediterranean
Ashes to ashes. Fuelwood selection in Roman cremation rituals in northern Gaul
X‐ray Sub‐micron Tomography as a Tool for the Study of Archaeological Wood Preserved Through the Corrosion of Metal Objects
Wood preserved in the corrosion layer of two early medieval iron objects was examined using X‐ray tomography. A state‐of‐the art multi‐resolution X‐ray tomography set‐up ( http://www.ugct.ugent.be ) provided virtual cross‐sections of the archaeological wood samples at sub‐micron resolution. These were compared with scans of samples of similar modern wood. These scans demonstrate the power of sub‐micron X‐ray tomography for wood identification, al…
Wood charcoal and seeds as indicators for animal husbandry in a wetland site during the late mesolithic–early neolithic transition period (Swifterbant culture, ca. 4600–4000 b.c.) in NW Belgium
Selective woodland exploitation for charcoal production. A detailed analysis of charcoal kiln remains (ca. 1300–1900 AD) from Zoersel (northern Belgium)
Hunting, gathering, fishing and herding: Animal exploitation in Sandy Flanders (NW Belgium) during the second half of the fifth millennium BC
At Doel, in the lower basin of the river Scheldt, excavations have revealed camp sites of the Swifterbant culture dating back to the second half of the fifth millennium BC. They document the transition period from the Late Mesolithic to the Early Neolithic in Sandy Flanders (NW Belgium). The sites were situated on the top of sandy ridges which were covered with an alluvial hardwood forest vegetation and surrounded by wetlands. Only burnt animal r…
Het oudheidkundig bodemonderzoek aan de Sacramentstraat te Tongeren. Eindverslag 1993
Twee proefsleuven in het zuidelijk gedeelte van het terrein hadden aangetoond dat het Romeinse bodemarchief daar door een recente zandgroeve vernield was
Middle-Holocene alluvial forests and associated fluvial environments: A multi-proxy reconstruction from the lower Scheldt, N Belgium
Analyses of pollen, plant macrofossils (seeds, fruits, wood and mosses), molluscs, diatoms and vertebrate (mainly fish) remains allowed a detailed reconstruction of a middle-Holocene alluvial forest and its associated hydrological conditions. The use of multiple proxies resulted in a taxonomically more detailed and environmentally more comprehensive understanding of terrestrial as well as aquatic habitats. The results demonstrate possible biases …
Tracking ancient ship routes through the analysis of caulking material from shipwrecks? The case study of two 14th century cogs from Doel (northern Belgium)
Wetland landscape dynamics, Swifterbant land use systems, and the Mesolithic–Neolithic transition in the southern North Sea basin
Tree-ring analysis of archaeological charcoal as a tool to identify past woodland management: The case from a 14th century site from Oudenaarde (Belgium)
Analysis of pollen and intestinal parasite eggs from medieval graves from Nivelles, Belgium: Taphonomy of the burial ritual
Postglacial evolution of vegetation and environment in the Scheldt Basin (northern Belgium)
Wood use in a growing medieval city. The overexploitation of woody resources in Ghent (Belgium) between the 10th and 12th century AD
The interpretation of pollen assemblages from medieval and post-medieval cesspits: New results from northern Belgium
The oldest cereals in the coversand area along the North Sea coast of NW Europe, between ca. 4800 and 3500 cal BC, at the wetland site of ‘Bazel-Sluis’ (Belgium)
The use of Scientific Techniques in the Study, Reconstruction of and Human Interaction with Woodlands: Introduction to the Special Issue
Woodlands have been integral to everyday life for thousands of years providing an environment for hunting and foraging, a resource for fuel and construction materials, a location for shelter and sa
Early and High Medieval (c. 650 AD–1250 AD) Charcoal Production and Its Impact on Woodland Composition in the Northwest-European Lowland: A Study of Charcoal Pit Kilns from Sterrebeek (Central Belgium…
The study of charcoal production pits (pit kilns), excavated in central Belgium, provides information on Early and High Medieval woodland dynamics and human impact on the forest composition in the Northwest-European Lowland. Radiocarbon dating of charcoal recovered from the kilns demonstrates two different phases of charcoal production, one during the Early Medieval period (c. 650 AD–950 AD) and one during the High Medieval period (c. 1040 AD–126…
Historical Nankai-Suruga megathrust earthquakes recorded by tsunami and terrestrial mass movement deposits on the Shirasuka coastal lowlands, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan
Geological investigations of coastal sediment sequences play a key role in verifying earthquake and tsunami characteristics inferred from historical records. In this paper, we present a multi-proxy investigation of a coastal lowland site facing the Nankai-Suruga megathrust and appraise evidence for tsunamis and earthquake-triggered terrestrial mass movements occurring over the last 800 years. Combining a high-resolution chronology with X-ray comp…
Small things can make a big difference: A comparison of pollen and macrobotanical records of some food plants from medieval and post-medieval cesspits in the Netherlands and northern Belgium
Bypassing the Suess-effect: Age determination of charcoal kiln remains using OSL dating
Anomalous Radiocarbon Dates from the Early Medieval Cremation Graves from Broechem (Flanders, Belgium): Reservoir or Old Wood Effects
As part of the study of the early medieval cemetery at Broechem (Belgium), human bones from 32 cremation graves have been dated through radiocarbon ( 14 C) analysis. It was noted that many of the dates were not in accordance with the chronological ranges provided by the characteristics of the cultural artifacts deposited in the graves. In fact, the human bones were “older” than the artifacts. Subsequently, a number of animal bones (in all cases f…
Geography (36 works) · Archaeology (32 works) · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies (23 works) · Biology (23 works) · Ecology (18 works) · Geology (15 works) · Charcoal (11 works) · Paleontology (10 works) · Environmental Science (9 works) · Geology and Paleoclimatology Research (9 works)