The long and winding road of

preserving archaeological sites

in Flanders (BE) EAA Maastricht 31-08-2017

Table of Contents

IntroductionPreservation policy Number of sites

Overview legal instruments1931 & 1976 Monuments Acts1993 Archaeological Decree2015 Heritage Decree

Conclusion

Introduction

Preservation policyAd hoc: based on expertise & opportunitiesThematic approach based on policy memoranda andletters from the minister

Number of archaeological sites36 sites scheduled as archaeological sites120 ‘heritage sites’ listed as monuments, town&villageconservation area’s or registered landscapes

Major archaeological component/archaeological value

Monuments Decrees: 1931 & 1976

Monuments & Landscapes Decree of 1931 & MonumentsDecree of 1976 are used to preserve archaeological sites

15 registered landscapes58 listed monuments17 listed town&village conservation areas

Note: some sites are listed twice or more

Monuments Decrees: 1931 & 1976

Tumuli

Vicus

Roman villa

‘Obvious’ archaeological sites

Monuments Decrees: 1931 & 1976

18th century town houses (Diest): archaeological value

Interpretation of “Archaeological” ~ building archaeologyand not “underground remains”?

Monuments Decrees: 1931 & 1976 De drie Tommen

3 Roman Tumuli

Listed asMonumentsTown&village conservation area

Since 13/3/1979

Monuments Decrees: 1931 & 1976 De drie Tommen

Monuments Decrees: 1931 & 1976 De drie Tommen

Intention: in situ preservation / open view

Measures in the Ministerial Decree:Authorization for constructing on the siteAuthorization for modifying the parcels…

Intention accomplished?

Tumuli and open view are still preserved

Monuments Decrees: 1931 & 1976 De drie Tommen

Monuments Decrees: 1931 & 1976 De drie Tommen

Parcels have been modified

Situation in 2017Situation in 1979

Agricultural activities close tothe earthworks

Road runningbetween 2 tumuli

Possible damage

What is the physicalstate?

De drie Tommen

Monuments Decrees: 1931 & 1976 De drie Tommen

Is the listing as monument and town&villageconservation 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 aroundthe earthworks?

Should we convert the listing as a monument/town&village conservations areas into thescheduling as an archaeological site?

Archaeology Act

Numbers26 scheduled archaeological sitesFrom Palaeolithic to Mediaeval

Archaeology Decree: 1993

Remains of a moated site andmediaeval castle in ButselMiddle Neolithic site of Ottenburg (earthwork)Tumuli of GrimdeMiddle Palaeolithic site of VeldwezeltRemains of a mediaeval fortress: Keizersberg, LeuvenSite of a former church and graveyard, mediaeval period, Zelem.

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?

Archaeology Decree: 1993

Heritage sites with major archaeological component or archaeologicalvaluelisted by the 1976 Decreebetween 1993 and 2015

3 registered landscapes32 listed monuments6 listed town&village conservation areas

Archaeology Decree: 1993Examples

Roman Castellum

Archaeological remainsof abbeys

Archaeological remainsof castles

Moated sites

Was this useful/effective? Does itmake sense?

Schedule as protected archaeologicalsites instead?

Heritage Decree: 2015

Heritage Decree:1 Decree for Monuments, Landscapes & Archaeology3 different types of ‘listing’

10 scheduled archaeological sitesArchaeological sites: in situ or ex situArchaeological value for monuments & landscapes (16 M & 2 L)

Conclusion

36 scheduled archaeological sites

A lot more archaeological sites are protectedIn different ways: monument, town&village conservationarea, landscape

Using different legal instruments: Monument Decrees(1931 & 1376), Archaeology Decree (1993), Heritage Decree(2015)