Papers by Jorn Seubers
Nieuwe Drentse Volksalmanak, 2019
The name Albert Egges van Giffen (1884-1973) is inextricably linked with the Dutch hunebedden (me... more The name Albert Egges van Giffen (1884-1973) is inextricably linked with the Dutch hunebedden (megalithic tombs). This research topic fascinated him even before he established the BiologischArchaeologisch Instituut (BAI, now the GIA, Groninger Instituut voor Archeologie, the department of Archaeology of Groningen University) in 1920, and he continued to study the hunebedden until the end of his life. Apart from hunebed G5-Heveskesklooster, discovered in 1982, there is no megalithic tomb that he didn’t investigate, restore or describe, or for which he didn’t specify the site’s layout.
In 1918 the Dutch government asked him to survey the condition of the hunebedden. A few years later his research was to result in his standard work De hunebedden in Nederland, comprising two text volumes and an atlas (1925-1927). The atlas, measuring 51 x 33 cm, contains both photos and drawings of the tombs, the latter in the form of plans with a scale of 1:50. This work turned out to be the last integral overview of the Dutch hunebedden. However, since Van Giffen documented them in 1918, the tombs have undergone numerous minor and major changes during excavations, restorations, repair work and reconstructions. Van Giffen himself was involved in many of those operations, but none, or only very few of the resultant changes were cartographically recorded.
In 2016 the Gratama Foundation subsidised a project initiated by the GIA to create a new survey of the Dutch hunebedden based on the use of 3D photography (photogrammetry), GPS and a geographical information system (GIS). In this project the hunebedden were once again recorded in 2D, including all the changes they had undergone in the preceding hundred years, and for the first time also in 3D. In our article we present a survey of the possibilities offered by the photogrammetric models – and the top views and elevation models derived from them – on the basis of a selection of the Dutch hunebedden.
The photogrammetric models are not restricted to the hunebed boulders but also include the surrounding area and its (micro)relief. The new elevation models have been linked to absolute elevations and coordinates in the Rijksdriehoekstelsel (the national system for the Netherlands) and are very accurate. Thanks to these models the remains of earthen mounds that once covered the tombs can also be successfully recorded, as we illustrate here in relation to the hunebedden D5-Zeijen and D40-Emmerveld-ZO.
The photogrammetric models have also yielded geometrically corrected top views (known as orthophotos) with a very high resolution. By combining Van Giffen’s descriptions and comparing the present situation with that of 1918 we obtain a complete overview of the changes that have taken place in the past hundred years. This we illustrate here in relation to D15-Loon, D16- Balloo, D26-Drouwenerveld, D43-Schimmeres, D45-Emmerdennen, D50-Noord-Sleen-N and D52-Diever. The new data also make it possible to study ‘twin hunebedden’ such as D3 and D4 at Midlaren and D19 and D20 at Drouwen both separately and together.
In a few cases the 3D data have led to new insights. For example, we have now been able to prove that the D1 and D2-3 capstones of D29-Buinen-Z were split from the same boulder, as Van Giffen indeed suspected. In making the Van Giffen 2.0 data available we hope that this recording of the situation in 2018 will serve as a reference work for researchers, heritage managers and the public at large.
The Age of Tarquinius Superbus: Central Italy in the Late 6th Century.
This paper presents a critical reassessment of landscape archaeological data in light of processe... more This paper presents a critical reassessment of landscape archaeological data in light of processes of urbanisation and ruralisation in the Archaic period in Latium vetus. Published data almost without exception show that rural settlement reached a peak in the 6th century BC, matching the expansion of the primary urban centres and suggesting strong demographic and economic growth. However, a possibly overconfident reliance on chronologies based on pottery fabrics and coarse wares with long date ranges may have led to an overestimation of the degree of rural infill, both in older topographical studies and in more recent survey work.
This article discusses the results of systematic field surveys in the territory of ancient Crustu... more This article discusses the results of systematic field surveys in the territory of ancient Crustumerium performed by the Groningen Institute of Archaeology (GIA) between 2011 and 2013. These surveys aimed at evaluating the status of the surface record in relation to previous work in the area in the 1970s and 1990s, and at strengthening our knowledge about the ruralisation of Crustumerium before its conquest by Rome (around 500 BC). However, as soon became clear, the current surface record provided only meagre evidence for the period of focus. Instead, it is dominated by the presence of ‘Roman’ pottery, belonging to farm sites that often were founded in the Mid-Republican period (4th-3rd c. BC) and in many cases continued to be frequented into Late Roman times. This observation is contrary to the idea that an explosive rural infill of the countryside in the 6th century BC was followed by a rural crisis in Republican times, as has been the prevailing argument on the basis of legacy data. Furthermore, our own data led us to reconsider the supposed causal relationship between the urbanisation and ruralisation of the ancient Latin city-states. In this light the present paper,
accompanied by detailed site and ceramic data, makes a case for the value of reflexivity in archaeology and shows how selective replication studies can elicit alternatives for well-established historical and archaeological narratives.
is volume is the second of the series Corollaria Crustumina aimed at the publication of conferenc... more is volume is the second of the series Corollaria Crustumina aimed at the publication of conference proceedings, doctoral theses and specialist studies concerning the Latin settlement of Crustumerium (Rome) and Italian protohistory. It contains multidisciplinary papers of an international group of archaeologists discussing new eldwork data and theories of broad relevance to Italian archaeology and with speci c relevance to the study of Crustumerium's settlement, cemeteries and material culture in light of the site's cultural identity.
Plough zone archaeology is revealed to us by post-depositional processes that move, abrade, dispe... more Plough zone archaeology is revealed to us by post-depositional processes that move, abrade, disperse, obscure and change the composition of surface find assemblages, biasing the interpretation of survey data. The tuff bedrock that is characteristic of the geology of large parts of Central Italy
is well known to be prone to erosion, which has been accelerated due to the long and intensive agricultural
exploitation of the landscape. In the case of the ancient Latin settlement of Crustumerium (North-Rome) the adverse effects of erosion on the preservation of the archaeological record have been
stressed by several scholars. One of the objectives of the archaeological fieldwork on Crustumerium by
the Groningen Institute of Archaeology, in collaboration with the Soprintendenza Speciale per i Beni
Archeologici di Roma, is to investigate the nature and impact of these taphonomic processes for the archaeology of this ancient urban area. The current paper investigates the history of land-use on the site of Crustumerium on the basis of elevation information in topographical maps covering a period
of a century. The authors will quantify the geomorphological changes on the basis of a diachronic analysis of digital elevation models generated and compared within a GIS. The result is a series of maps in which the degree of erosion and subsequently the expected preservation of subsurface archaeology
is defined for the entire settlement area. Maps like this can help guide future research plans, but can also assist in the interpretation of currently available data.
During the excavation campaign of the Iron Age
burial ground of Crustumerium (Central Italy)
in t... more During the excavation campaign of the Iron Age
burial ground of Crustumerium (Central Italy)
in the summer of 2015, the authors performed a
pilot study in 3D modelling and 3D documentation.
By using photogrammetry it was possible to
create 3D models of individual tombs and to document
the larger burial ground in 3D. Even though
the processing of the 3D data is time-consuming,
the technique itself is relatively simple and does
not require a large investment of resources. The
3D models proved valuable, since they allow for
virtual revisiting of the excavation and because
they can yield new archaeological insights. It is
stressed however, that the traditional documentation
strategies should not be abandoned altogether
and that the archaeological interpretation of the
excavated features remains leading in all respects.
TMA53 (Tijdschrift voor Mediterrane Archeologie), 2015
Between legacy and legacy data: the heritage of a lost landscape around Crustumerium (North-Latiu... more Between legacy and legacy data: the heritage of a lost landscape around Crustumerium (North-Latium, Italy)
Archaeological field surveys from the 1970’s suggested that there was a considerable increase in the number of sites in the territories of Latin settlements such as Crustumerium, Fidenae, Ficulea and Collatia during the Orientalising and Archaic period (seventh and sixth century BC). As a consequence, there was a subsequent period of decreasing exploitation of the countryside from the end of the Early-Republican period onwards, when these territories fell under the influence of Rome. Although the data from the 1970’s surveys is both extensive and valuable, more recent data from the 1990’s surveys demonstrate that this model can no longer be retained. Moreover, the increased establishment of settlements during the Archaic period (the “Archaic boom”) was much less intense than previously thought. A critical reassessment of the dating evidence from all survey data necessitated the reconsideration of the chronological developments in the areas to the north-east of Rome in these periods. Instead of a period of growth followed by a period of decline, the data indicates a continuously increasing exploitation of the countryside from the Orientalising period until the Imperial period. In light of their analysis the authors emphasize the value of legacy data, but also stress the importance of a critical evaluation of the compatibility and quality of the source material.
CRUSTUMERIUM. Ricerche internazionali in un centro latino. Archaeology and identity of a Latin settlement near Rome, 2013
Ricerche internazionali in un centro latino CRUSTUMERIUM V
Journal of Roman Archaeology, supplement 97, Papers on Italian Urbanism in the first millennium B.C.
The remains of the settlement of Crustumerium lie c.1S km north-northeast of Rome on a complex of... more The remains of the settlement of Crustumerium lie c.1S km north-northeast of Rome on a complex of hills near the Tiber valley and the via Saiaria ( ). The site was abandoned early in the Republican period. Despite its mention in historical sources, its location was lost until the 1970s when it was established by archaeological field surveys.~ Since then, the site and its surroundings have been the subject of a number of research initiatives. 2 In 1997, the settlement plateau and surrounding burial grounds were incorporated in the Riserva Naturale Marcigliana and the site itself protected by Italian heritage law,3 which has meant that the area has escaped the devastating effects of modern urbanization.
TMA35, 2006
De auteur studeerde in 2005 af aan de Research Master Archeology and Art History met als speciali... more De auteur studeerde in 2005 af aan de Research Master Archeology and Art History met als specialisme Italiaanse archeologie en een scriptie getiteld "The Dead and the Wealthy, a study of social differentiation in the Villanovan Iron Age as observed from high status burials in Etruria, Latium Vetus and Emilia Romagna". Na enkele maanden uitzendwerk in de Nederlandse archeologie is de auteur momenteel werkzaam in de leT sector. ", ( ! , J J ~ De Sleutel op de Doodskist , ,,A
Status in Italic tombs is generally classified through the value, the quantity and the quality of... more Status in Italic tombs is generally classified through the value, the quantity and the quality of the objects in the corredo. In this paper this methodology is examined and the different objects that are specifically related to sta-tus are listed separately. This list is used to individually classify Early Iron Age tombs from Veii, Tarquinia and Verucchio. Those with the clearest expression of high status are used to reconstruct an overall development of increasingly complex leadership between approximately 950 and 700 BC. The different material ways in which this process was expressed in the mentioned settlements is central to this observation.
A study of social development in the Early Iron Age (950 – 700 BC) through the analysis of high s... more A study of social development in the Early Iron Age (950 – 700 BC) through the analysis of high status burials from Villanovan cemeteries in Etruria, Latium Vetus and Emilia Romagna
Book Reviews by Jorn Seubers
Review of "The Urbanisation of Rome and Latium Vetus" by Francesca Fulminante (2014) in Dutch.
Conference Presentations by Jorn Seubers
Crustumerium’s Monte Del Bufalo cemetery features Early Iron Age and Orientalising fossa and Arch... more Crustumerium’s Monte Del Bufalo cemetery features Early Iron Age and Orientalising fossa and Archaic chamber tombs. While the first usually had a relatively elaborate set of grave gifts, the latter contain only few grave gifts. The funerary architecture and associated ritual customs provide insight in the social transformation of the communities around Rome between the late Orientalising and Archaic period.
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Papers by Jorn Seubers
In 1918 the Dutch government asked him to survey the condition of the hunebedden. A few years later his research was to result in his standard work De hunebedden in Nederland, comprising two text volumes and an atlas (1925-1927). The atlas, measuring 51 x 33 cm, contains both photos and drawings of the tombs, the latter in the form of plans with a scale of 1:50. This work turned out to be the last integral overview of the Dutch hunebedden. However, since Van Giffen documented them in 1918, the tombs have undergone numerous minor and major changes during excavations, restorations, repair work and reconstructions. Van Giffen himself was involved in many of those operations, but none, or only very few of the resultant changes were cartographically recorded.
In 2016 the Gratama Foundation subsidised a project initiated by the GIA to create a new survey of the Dutch hunebedden based on the use of 3D photography (photogrammetry), GPS and a geographical information system (GIS). In this project the hunebedden were once again recorded in 2D, including all the changes they had undergone in the preceding hundred years, and for the first time also in 3D. In our article we present a survey of the possibilities offered by the photogrammetric models – and the top views and elevation models derived from them – on the basis of a selection of the Dutch hunebedden.
The photogrammetric models are not restricted to the hunebed boulders but also include the surrounding area and its (micro)relief. The new elevation models have been linked to absolute elevations and coordinates in the Rijksdriehoekstelsel (the national system for the Netherlands) and are very accurate. Thanks to these models the remains of earthen mounds that once covered the tombs can also be successfully recorded, as we illustrate here in relation to the hunebedden D5-Zeijen and D40-Emmerveld-ZO.
The photogrammetric models have also yielded geometrically corrected top views (known as orthophotos) with a very high resolution. By combining Van Giffen’s descriptions and comparing the present situation with that of 1918 we obtain a complete overview of the changes that have taken place in the past hundred years. This we illustrate here in relation to D15-Loon, D16- Balloo, D26-Drouwenerveld, D43-Schimmeres, D45-Emmerdennen, D50-Noord-Sleen-N and D52-Diever. The new data also make it possible to study ‘twin hunebedden’ such as D3 and D4 at Midlaren and D19 and D20 at Drouwen both separately and together.
In a few cases the 3D data have led to new insights. For example, we have now been able to prove that the D1 and D2-3 capstones of D29-Buinen-Z were split from the same boulder, as Van Giffen indeed suspected. In making the Van Giffen 2.0 data available we hope that this recording of the situation in 2018 will serve as a reference work for researchers, heritage managers and the public at large.
accompanied by detailed site and ceramic data, makes a case for the value of reflexivity in archaeology and shows how selective replication studies can elicit alternatives for well-established historical and archaeological narratives.
is well known to be prone to erosion, which has been accelerated due to the long and intensive agricultural
exploitation of the landscape. In the case of the ancient Latin settlement of Crustumerium (North-Rome) the adverse effects of erosion on the preservation of the archaeological record have been
stressed by several scholars. One of the objectives of the archaeological fieldwork on Crustumerium by
the Groningen Institute of Archaeology, in collaboration with the Soprintendenza Speciale per i Beni
Archeologici di Roma, is to investigate the nature and impact of these taphonomic processes for the archaeology of this ancient urban area. The current paper investigates the history of land-use on the site of Crustumerium on the basis of elevation information in topographical maps covering a period
of a century. The authors will quantify the geomorphological changes on the basis of a diachronic analysis of digital elevation models generated and compared within a GIS. The result is a series of maps in which the degree of erosion and subsequently the expected preservation of subsurface archaeology
is defined for the entire settlement area. Maps like this can help guide future research plans, but can also assist in the interpretation of currently available data.
burial ground of Crustumerium (Central Italy)
in the summer of 2015, the authors performed a
pilot study in 3D modelling and 3D documentation.
By using photogrammetry it was possible to
create 3D models of individual tombs and to document
the larger burial ground in 3D. Even though
the processing of the 3D data is time-consuming,
the technique itself is relatively simple and does
not require a large investment of resources. The
3D models proved valuable, since they allow for
virtual revisiting of the excavation and because
they can yield new archaeological insights. It is
stressed however, that the traditional documentation
strategies should not be abandoned altogether
and that the archaeological interpretation of the
excavated features remains leading in all respects.
Archaeological field surveys from the 1970’s suggested that there was a considerable increase in the number of sites in the territories of Latin settlements such as Crustumerium, Fidenae, Ficulea and Collatia during the Orientalising and Archaic period (seventh and sixth century BC). As a consequence, there was a subsequent period of decreasing exploitation of the countryside from the end of the Early-Republican period onwards, when these territories fell under the influence of Rome. Although the data from the 1970’s surveys is both extensive and valuable, more recent data from the 1990’s surveys demonstrate that this model can no longer be retained. Moreover, the increased establishment of settlements during the Archaic period (the “Archaic boom”) was much less intense than previously thought. A critical reassessment of the dating evidence from all survey data necessitated the reconsideration of the chronological developments in the areas to the north-east of Rome in these periods. Instead of a period of growth followed by a period of decline, the data indicates a continuously increasing exploitation of the countryside from the Orientalising period until the Imperial period. In light of their analysis the authors emphasize the value of legacy data, but also stress the importance of a critical evaluation of the compatibility and quality of the source material.
Book Reviews by Jorn Seubers
Conference Presentations by Jorn Seubers
In 1918 the Dutch government asked him to survey the condition of the hunebedden. A few years later his research was to result in his standard work De hunebedden in Nederland, comprising two text volumes and an atlas (1925-1927). The atlas, measuring 51 x 33 cm, contains both photos and drawings of the tombs, the latter in the form of plans with a scale of 1:50. This work turned out to be the last integral overview of the Dutch hunebedden. However, since Van Giffen documented them in 1918, the tombs have undergone numerous minor and major changes during excavations, restorations, repair work and reconstructions. Van Giffen himself was involved in many of those operations, but none, or only very few of the resultant changes were cartographically recorded.
In 2016 the Gratama Foundation subsidised a project initiated by the GIA to create a new survey of the Dutch hunebedden based on the use of 3D photography (photogrammetry), GPS and a geographical information system (GIS). In this project the hunebedden were once again recorded in 2D, including all the changes they had undergone in the preceding hundred years, and for the first time also in 3D. In our article we present a survey of the possibilities offered by the photogrammetric models – and the top views and elevation models derived from them – on the basis of a selection of the Dutch hunebedden.
The photogrammetric models are not restricted to the hunebed boulders but also include the surrounding area and its (micro)relief. The new elevation models have been linked to absolute elevations and coordinates in the Rijksdriehoekstelsel (the national system for the Netherlands) and are very accurate. Thanks to these models the remains of earthen mounds that once covered the tombs can also be successfully recorded, as we illustrate here in relation to the hunebedden D5-Zeijen and D40-Emmerveld-ZO.
The photogrammetric models have also yielded geometrically corrected top views (known as orthophotos) with a very high resolution. By combining Van Giffen’s descriptions and comparing the present situation with that of 1918 we obtain a complete overview of the changes that have taken place in the past hundred years. This we illustrate here in relation to D15-Loon, D16- Balloo, D26-Drouwenerveld, D43-Schimmeres, D45-Emmerdennen, D50-Noord-Sleen-N and D52-Diever. The new data also make it possible to study ‘twin hunebedden’ such as D3 and D4 at Midlaren and D19 and D20 at Drouwen both separately and together.
In a few cases the 3D data have led to new insights. For example, we have now been able to prove that the D1 and D2-3 capstones of D29-Buinen-Z were split from the same boulder, as Van Giffen indeed suspected. In making the Van Giffen 2.0 data available we hope that this recording of the situation in 2018 will serve as a reference work for researchers, heritage managers and the public at large.
accompanied by detailed site and ceramic data, makes a case for the value of reflexivity in archaeology and shows how selective replication studies can elicit alternatives for well-established historical and archaeological narratives.
is well known to be prone to erosion, which has been accelerated due to the long and intensive agricultural
exploitation of the landscape. In the case of the ancient Latin settlement of Crustumerium (North-Rome) the adverse effects of erosion on the preservation of the archaeological record have been
stressed by several scholars. One of the objectives of the archaeological fieldwork on Crustumerium by
the Groningen Institute of Archaeology, in collaboration with the Soprintendenza Speciale per i Beni
Archeologici di Roma, is to investigate the nature and impact of these taphonomic processes for the archaeology of this ancient urban area. The current paper investigates the history of land-use on the site of Crustumerium on the basis of elevation information in topographical maps covering a period
of a century. The authors will quantify the geomorphological changes on the basis of a diachronic analysis of digital elevation models generated and compared within a GIS. The result is a series of maps in which the degree of erosion and subsequently the expected preservation of subsurface archaeology
is defined for the entire settlement area. Maps like this can help guide future research plans, but can also assist in the interpretation of currently available data.
burial ground of Crustumerium (Central Italy)
in the summer of 2015, the authors performed a
pilot study in 3D modelling and 3D documentation.
By using photogrammetry it was possible to
create 3D models of individual tombs and to document
the larger burial ground in 3D. Even though
the processing of the 3D data is time-consuming,
the technique itself is relatively simple and does
not require a large investment of resources. The
3D models proved valuable, since they allow for
virtual revisiting of the excavation and because
they can yield new archaeological insights. It is
stressed however, that the traditional documentation
strategies should not be abandoned altogether
and that the archaeological interpretation of the
excavated features remains leading in all respects.
Archaeological field surveys from the 1970’s suggested that there was a considerable increase in the number of sites in the territories of Latin settlements such as Crustumerium, Fidenae, Ficulea and Collatia during the Orientalising and Archaic period (seventh and sixth century BC). As a consequence, there was a subsequent period of decreasing exploitation of the countryside from the end of the Early-Republican period onwards, when these territories fell under the influence of Rome. Although the data from the 1970’s surveys is both extensive and valuable, more recent data from the 1990’s surveys demonstrate that this model can no longer be retained. Moreover, the increased establishment of settlements during the Archaic period (the “Archaic boom”) was much less intense than previously thought. A critical reassessment of the dating evidence from all survey data necessitated the reconsideration of the chronological developments in the areas to the north-east of Rome in these periods. Instead of a period of growth followed by a period of decline, the data indicates a continuously increasing exploitation of the countryside from the Orientalising period until the Imperial period. In light of their analysis the authors emphasize the value of legacy data, but also stress the importance of a critical evaluation of the compatibility and quality of the source material.
Exhibition, Ny Carlsberg Glyptoteket, Copenhagen from May 19 till October 23, 2016
The ancient city Crustumerium was a centre for cultural exchange and played a significant role in the story of the foundation of Rome. For some 1,500 year Crustumerium was merely a recurrent reference in historical sources. When in 1975 archaeologists located the city, some 15 km north of the Italian capital, it was an archaeological breakthrough of the first order, and Crustumerium has since been the object of numerous successful excavations.
The main contributors to this exhibition are the Ny Carlsberg Glyptoteket, SSBAR (the archaeological superintendence of Rome) and the Groningen Institute of Archaeology (University of Groningen, the Netherlands). We especially would like to thank Dr.ssa P. Filippini of the SSBAR for her support.
For more information visit:
https://www.glyptoteket.com/whats-on/calendar/crustumerium-death-and-afterlife-at-the-gates-of-rome