Presentation by Henk Alkemade of the Dutch national heritage agency describing how past adaptations to the natural challenges of water management in the Netherlands, and historic records are inspiring solutions to present problems. Climate change is leading to both summer droughts, which can reveal archaeological sites through cropmarks, and seasonal downpours causing flooding. Changes in sea-level are causing soil subsidence and at the same time the land is becoming wetter; images of historical sites show how the land surface has dropped and the water level has risen. Past adaptations to the natural environment included settlement of high points still visible in the landscape today and the creation of a series of dikes, canals and windmills to move water from the land. Series of historical maps show the creation of water systems in cities in the Netherlands - and the infilling of canals in more recent times. Contemporary responses to rising sea levels include re-instating historic canals, drainage systems and water cellars/cisterns to hold back flood water. Measures to increase the biodiversity and to adapt the landuse to the new water levels are all playing a part in management of the historical landscapes of the Netherlands.

1. CARARE:
Connecting Archaeology and
Architecture in Europeana
Henk Alkemade, RCE

2. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
Inspiration from the past to tackle problems of
the present
•Problems of the present: New challenges
•Understanding the past: From adaptation to controlling the
natural environment in the Dutch delta
•Inspiration from the past
•Questions and discussion

3. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
Inspiration from the past to tackle problems of
the present
Problems of the present: New challenges

4. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
Climate change
Drought (summer 2018)
Archaeological exploration
benefits

5. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
Climate change
Downpours (2019) More downpours (2019)

6. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
Sea level rise and soil subsidence
Sea level rise Soil subsidence

7. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
The land gets wetter over time
landscape in the 17th century – relatively dry
(Paulus Potter)
landscape at the end of the 19th century – very
wet (Willem Maris)

8. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
Sea level rise and soil subsidence

9. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
Sea level rise and soil subsidence

10. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
Loss of biodiversity
Fields and meadows

11. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
Loss of biodiversity in the city

12. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
Inspiration from the past to tackle problems of
the present
Understanding the past: From adaptation to controlling the
natural environment in the Dutch delta

13. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
Forces of nature
Delta Sea level rise

14. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
Adapting to the natural environment

15. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
Adapting to the natural environment

16. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
Adapting to the natural environment

17. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
Adapting of the natural environment

18. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
Adapting of the natural environment
Medieval dike Dikes and windmills

19. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
In control?
Afsluitdijk Maeslantkering

20. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
Inspiration from the past to tackle problems of
the present
Inspiration from the past

21. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
The changing city (Zwolle)
21/13
Understanding the underlying watersystem is crucial
Cities and water
Cities and water
1575

22. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
22/13
Understanding the underlying watersystem is crucial
Cities and water

23. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
New old city canals

24. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
Inspiration from the past…
Watercellars/cisternes
1768
Keizersgracht 576
Herengracht
354
Menne Kosian
16 oktober 2018
24/16

25. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
Inspiration from the past…
Watercellars/cisternes
Menne Kosian
16 oktober 2018
25/16

26. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
Inspiration from the past…
Waterstopper
De Hoofdstraat in Schiedam staat bij vloed
regelmatig onder water. Om het water uit
de huizen te houden worden vloedplanken
in de deuropeningen gezet en de kieren
met klei dichtgesmeerd. Nummer 19 is het
kruidenierswinkeltje van W.J. van
Lelieveld.
Chr. de Breur, 1955
Menne Kosian
16 oktober 2018
26/16

27. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
Inspiration from the past…
Menne Kosian
16 oktober 2018
27/16

28. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
Agricultural land, water and biodiversity
Surface area open water
1700
2017
2109 km2
1903 km2

29. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
17th Century

30. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
2017

31. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
Restoring old watersystems

32. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
Increasing Groundwaterlevel

33. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
Adapting landuse to local soil conditions

34. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
And trying new crops
cattail

35. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
Questions and discussion
• (pre-)Historical landscapes should be a theme in Europeana
• Knowing our past and showing our heritage is good, but learning
from it is better

36. Archaeology and Architecture in Europeana,
Amersfoort, 28th June 2019
Thanks for your attention
www.carare.eu