Understanding late medieval farming practices

An interdisciplinary study on byre remains from the historical centre of Brussels (Belgium)

Bibliographic Data

ID5363389
AuthorsYannick Devos (0000-0002-5315-1916, Vrije Universiteit Brussel), Cristiano Nicosia (0000-0002-4716-8893, University of Padua), L Vrydaghs (0000-0002-2250-2883, Vrije Universiteit Brussel), J M A Van Der Valk (0000-0002-7409-253X, Institute of Natural Sciences), Lien Speleers (0000-0002-4426-8629, Institute of Natural Sciences), Elena Marinova (0000-0003-3793-3317, Institute of Natural Sciences), Mona Court-Picon, Mona Court‐picon (Institute of Natural Sciences), Terry B Ball, Terry Ball (0000-0003-0099-5565, Brigham Young University), Christine Pümpin (0000-0003-2948-7011, University of Basel), Hugues Doutrelepont, Britt Claes (Royal Museums of Art and History)
Year2025
Volume17
Issue7
Pages154-154
Publication date2025-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueArchaeological and Anthropological Sciences (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1866-9557 • E-ISSN: 1866-9565
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1007/s12520-025-02248-w
PMID40585909
OpenAlexW4411660812
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited63

During the preventive archaeological excavation in the cellar of the site of petite Rue des Bouchers in the historical centre of Brussels (Belgium), the waterlogged remains of a thirteenth century AD sunken byre (potstal) were discovered. The exceptional preservation instigated a multiproxy approach, including micro-archaeology, micromorphology, phytolith and endoparasite egg analysis on thin sections, palynology and the study of plant macroremains on the fill of the structure. Beyond permitting to detail the content and the multiple origins of the fill (including excremental waste and urines, fodder and bedding material, plaggen and/or soil sods, household and construction waste), this study also provides detailed insights into the foddering customs, hygienic conditions within the stable, and the health status of the animals kept. On a more general scale this study documented late medieval farming practices in Brussels, more specifically the need to collect substantial amounts of manure to add as fertilizer onto the cultivated poor sandy soils

Agriculture · Archaeology · Biology · Excavation · Fodder · Geography · Manure · Paleoethnobotany · Phytolith · Pollen · Ecology

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access