Home Turf: an interdisciplinary exploration of the long-term development, use and reclamation of raised bogs in the Netherlands
R. van Beek|G.J. Maas|Ed van den Berg
Raised bogs are popular research subjects in various scientific disciplines such as palaeobotany, climatology, archaeology and historical geography. However, interdisciplinary studies using a long-term cultural perspective rare. This paper aims to make contribution that field by exploring the development of raised Netherlands, with main focus on man-land relations. Central peatlands Pleistocene areas country — regard peat inception, development, human use exploitation show patterns probably similar those larger parts North-west European Plain. Three spatial levels used. The first level offers concise summary current knowledge bog Netherlands adjacent areas. second centres eastern Dutch region Twente, especially attempts reconstruct former maximum cover. In this region, most other hardly any remnants have survived present day. third consists two detailed case-studies smaller Twente. study shows bogs, soon after they started developing, became intrinsic settlement territories were used spatially temporally varying ways. assessment integration different types data allows more reliable reconstruction analysis habitation approach also demonstrates which deficits exist, new questions be asked methods may applied future studies.
Landscape History