The long and winding road of preserving archaeological sites in flanders

1. The long and winding road of
preserving archaeological sites
in Flanders (BE) EAA Maastricht 31-08-2017

2. Table of Contents
Introduction
Preservation policy
Number of sites
Overview legal instruments
1931 & 1976 Monuments Acts
1993 Archaeological Decree
2015 Heritage Decree
Conclusion

3. Introduction
Preservation policy
Ad hoc: based on expertise & opportunities
Thematic approach based on policy memoranda and
letters from the minister
Number of archaeological sites
36 sites scheduled as archaeological sites
120 ‘heritage sites’ listed as monuments, town&village
conservation area’s or registered landscapes
Major archaeological component/archaeological value

4. Monuments Decrees: 1931 & 1976
Monuments & Landscapes Decree of 1931 & Monuments
Decree of 1976 are used to preserve archaeological sites
15 registered landscapes
58 listed monuments
17 listed town&village conservation areas
Note: some sites are listed twice or more

5. Monuments Decrees: 1931 & 1976
Tumuli
Vicus
Roman villa
‘Obvious’ archaeological sites

6. Monuments Decrees: 1931 & 1976
18th century town houses (Diest): archaeological value
Interpretation of “Archaeological” ~ building archaeology
and not “underground remains”?

7. Monuments Decrees: 1931 &
1976 De drie Tommen
3 Roman Tumuli
Listed as
Monuments
Town&village conservation area
Since 13/3/1979

8. Monuments Decrees: 1931 & 1976
De drie Tommen

9. Monuments Decrees: 1931 & 1976
De drie Tommen
Intention: in situ preservation / open view
Measures in the Ministerial Decree:
Authorization for constructing on the site
Authorization for modifying the parcels
…
Intention accomplished?

10. Tumuli and open view are still preserved
Monuments Decrees: 1931 & 1976
De drie Tommen

11. Monuments Decrees: 1931 & 1976
De drie Tommen
Parcels have been modified
Situation in 2017Situation in 1979

12. Agricultural activities close to
the earthworks
Road running
between 2 tumuli
Possible damage
What is the physical
state?
De drie Tommen

13. Monuments Decrees: 1931 & 1976
De drie Tommen
Is the listing as monument and town&village
conservation area the reason why the tumuli are
preserved? Or something else? Was the designation as
nature and agricultural land more important?
What about the possible archaeological features around
the earthworks?
Should we convert the listing as a
monument/town&village conservations areas into the
scheduling as an archaeological site?

14. Archaeology Act
Numbers
26 scheduled archaeological sites
From Palaeolithic to Mediaeval
Archaeology Decree: 1993
Remains of a moated site and
mediaeval castle in Butsel
Middle Neolithic site of Ottenburg
(earthwork)Tumuli of Grimde
Middle Palaeolithic site of
Veldwezelt
Remains of a mediaeval fortress:
Keizersberg, Leuven
Site of a former church and graveyard,
mediaeval period, Zelem.

15. Archaeology Decree: 1993
General idea: scheduling sites for research
~Malta: creation of archaeological reserves?
Ministerial Decrees state the goals of each scheduled site:
‘preserve as a witness of the past for future generations’
and ‘to allow future research’
Are both goals compatible?

16. Archaeology Decree: 1993
Heritage sites
with major archaeological component or archaeological
value
listed by the 1976 Decree
between 1993 and 2015
3 registered landscapes
32 listed monuments
6 listed town&village conservation areas

17. Archaeology Decree: 1993
Examples
Roman Castellum
Archaeological remains
of abbeys
Archaeological remains
of castles
Moated sites
Was this useful/effective? Does it
make sense?
Schedule as protected archaeological
sites instead?

18. Heritage Decree: 2015
Heritage Decree:
1 Decree for Monuments, Landscapes & Archaeology
3 different types of ‘listing’
10 scheduled archaeological sites
Archaeological sites: in situ or ex situ
Archaeological value for monuments & landscapes (16 M
& 2 L)

19. Conclusion
36 scheduled archaeological sites
A lot more archaeological sites are protected
In different ways: monument, town&village conservation
area, landscape
Using different legal instruments: Monument Decrees
(1931 & 1376), Archaeology Decree (1993), Heritage Decree
(2015)