Nederlandse Archeologische Rapporten 069 The Wooden Artefacts from the Early Roman Fort Velsen 1 Silke Lange The Wooden Artefacts from the Early Roman Fort Velsen 1 Silke Lange Colophon Nederlandse Archeologische Rapporten nr. 69 The Wooden Artefacts from the Early Roman Fort Velsen 1 Author: S. Lange (BIAX Consult) Editors: S. Lange, L.I. Kooistra, C. Rosenberg Authorisation: L.I. Kooistra (BIAX Consult) Illustrations: R. Timmermans, J. Kaarsemaker, C. Assië, J. Ranzijn, BIAX Consult (unless otherwise stated) Cover: Tent pegs and other wooden artefacts from Velsen 1 (design: J. Ranzijn, Happyfolio). Illustration editors: J. Ranzijn (Happyfolio) Layout and print: Xerox/Osage ISBN/EAN 978-90-5799-324-4 © Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands, Amersfoort, 2021 Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands P.O. Box 1600 3800 BP Amersfoort The Netherlands www.cultureelerfgoed.nl 3 Contents — Summary 5 8 Ship Inventory 63 8.1 Paddles/oars 63 Zusammenfassung 7 8.2 Tools for ship maintenance 64 8.3 Rigging tools 65 Samenvating 9 9 Communication 69 Preface 13 9.1 Writing tablets 69 9.1.1 Manufacture 73 1 Site Information 15 9.1.2 Recycling 73 1.1 Introduction 15 9.1.3 Distribution of Roman writing tablets in 1.2 Velsen 1: location and landscape 18 the Netherlands and elsewhere 75 1.3 The military installations 23 9.2 Styli and other writing implements 76 1.4 The harbour basin 26 9.2.1 Spatula 77 9.2.2 Bark 77 2 Research History 27 2.1 Research history of the site and 10 Provisioning 79 handling of the wooden artefacts 27 10.1 Wine barrels 79 2.2 Location of the wooden artefacts 29 10.1.1 Stamps and grafti 82 2.3 Numbering of the fnds 30 10.2 Bungs and stoppers 85 2.4 Illustrations 31 2.5 Conservation 32 11 Fastening and Securing 89 11.1 Bolts and catches 89 3 The Project: Aim and Scope 35 11.2 Locks and latch lifers 89 3.1 Framework 35 11.3 Seal locks (with a contribution from Tommas Pace) 90 4 Research Questions 37 4.1 Research questions 37 12 Lightweight Constructions 93 12.1 Stakes, boards, batens, and slats 93 5 Methodology 39 12.2 Parts from frameworks 94 5.1 Phased implementation 39 12.2.1 Two batens of frameworks with 5.2 Sources and references 39 remains of transverse connections 95 5.3 Iconography 40 5.4 Wood identifcation 40 13 Furniture 97 5.5 Dendrochronology 40 13.1 Furniture components 97 5.6 Analysis of tool marks 40 13.2 Wood species 97 5.7 Catalogue 41 13.3 Furniture legs and spindles 99 13.3.1 Decoratively turned furniture legs 99 6 The Assemblage of the Wooden 13.3.2 Decoratively turned spindles 100 Artefacts from Velsen 43 13.3.3 Undecorated turned furniture legs 101 6.1 Inventory 43 13.3.4 Carved furniture legs 101 6.2 Distribution of the wooden artefacts 44 13.3.5 Turned and pierced parts of furniture legs 102 6.3 Object types and categories 48 13.3.6 Possible furniture legs 102 13.4 End pieces 103 7 Military Equipment 49 13.5 Cornices and mouldings 104 7.1 Swords 49 13.6 Ornamental slats 104 7.2 Arrow 51 13.7 Stretchers at ground level 105 7.3 Spear or javelin 51 13.8 Batens with a notch 106 7.4 Obstacles 52 13.9 Base of a wicker chair (?) 106 7.5 Military signa 53 13.10 Parts of small boxes 107 7.6 (Tent) Pegs 55 13.11 Plank of a chest 108 7.6.1 Tents (with a contribution from 13.12 Boards of seats and of a lid or a door 109 Carol van Driel-Murray) 60 13.13 Wall hooks 109 4 — 13.14 Interior boards or boards from cupboard 21 Other Tools 153 doors or hatch covers 109 21.1 Spade 153 13.15 Hinges 110 21.2 Handles 153 14 Roofng and Fenestration 113 22 Textile-processing Implements 155 14.1 Shingles 113 22.1 Spindle 155 14.2 Muntin bars 113 22.2 Thread winder 155 22.3 Needle or neting tool 155 15 Domestic Utensils 115 22.4 Pin-beaters 155 15.1 Household utensils 115 22.5 Wef bobbins 155 15.2 Carved bowls 115 22.6 Toggle 155 15.2.1 Trough 118 22.7 Whorl 156 15.3 Lathe-turned bowls 118 22.8 Weaving sword 157 15.4 Pyxides 120 15.5 Discs and lids 122 23 Miscellaneous 159 15.6 Spoons 123 23.1 Unidentifed function 159 15.7 Spatulas (spatulae) 123 15.8 Knives 124 24 Synthesis 163 15.9 Bases of a stave bucket and of 24.1 Themes and categories 163 a lath-walled box 125 24.2 The wood species or genera used for the wooden objects 167 16 Basketry 127 24.3 Availability of wood in the vicinity of Velsen 169 16.1 Coiled basket 127 24.4 Wood use 171 16.2 Basket 128 24.5 Manufacturing 172 16.3 Base of wicker work 128 24.6 Workshops 173 24.7 Analogies 175 17 Personal Belongings 131 17.1 Wood-soled footwear 131 25 Research Questions 177 17.2 Comb 133 25.1 Results per research question 177 18 Entertainment 135 26 Conclusion 185 18.1 Panpipe (syrinx) 135 26.1 The assemblage 185 18.2 Gaming pieces 137 26.2 Wood use 185 26.3 Woodworking 185 19 Fishing and Fowling 139 26.4 Analogies 186 19.1 Fish traps 139 26.5 Future research 187 19.2 Other fshing gear 141 19.3 Throwing stick or boomerang for fowling 143 Bibliography 189 20 Woodworking 145 Catalogue 199 20.1 Planes 145 20.2 Mallets 146 20.3 Possible tool-rest support 148 20.4 Pegs, wedges, wedge-shaped objects, and dowels 148 20.5 Processing waste 149 20.6 Roughouts and raw material 150 5 Summary — The wooden artefacts from the Roman fort almost 1,600 objects of the total number of Velsen 1 are presented in this study. The excava- excavated artefacts are still present in the RMO’s tions at Velsen 1, situated on the coast of Noord- depot for further research and educational Holland about 20 km from Amsterdam, took purposes. place between 1972 and 1994, carried out by members of the Archaeological Working Society The wooden artefacts from Velsen 1 can be of the Netherlands (AWN Vereniging van vrijwil- divided into functional categories. They include ligers in de archeologie) and the Archaeological wooden objects of a military nature as well as Working Group Velsen (Archeologische artefacts from daily life such as furniture Werkgroep Velsen, AWV) and, later from 1974 components, locks and keys, kitchen utensils, onwards, in a joint venture with the Institute for footwear, tools, and fshing equipment. In Prae- and Protohistory (IPP) of the University of addition, there are artefacts whose function has Amsterdam. The wooden artefacts from the not been ascertained, but for which it is hoped Roman fort and harbour of Velsen 1 are a special that, by publishing them, they can be interpreted fnd complex, also from a European point of in the future. view. Wood forms an archaeological group of materials that is only preserved under special The assemblage provides insight into the conditions. Large assemblages of wooden handling of natural resources, the woodlands in artefacts are limited to the wetland sites of the vicinity of the fort, and contacts with Northwestern and Central Europe. From the elsewhere. The large quantity of tent pegs Mediterranean area, primarily known are the suggests that Velsen 1 had an important function wooden artefacts of Pompeii and Herculaneum for temporary encampments. Remarkable is the which were preserved by the rapid covering of large number of furniture pieces from beds or an ash layer. Importantly, the wooden artefacts couches, chairs, and cabinets that testify to from Velsen 1 come from a context accurately some level of comfort in the fort. Wooden dated and described in historical sources. The objects made of non-indigenous boxwood and Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands silver fr make it clear that many of these were (Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed, RCE) not made locally, but probably reached the fort commissioned the research and publication of as ready-made products. The silver fr barrels, the available data, thus making these data for example, which probably contained wine, generally accessible. were imported from other parts of the Roman Empire before they were given a second life as In the present study, the wooden artefacts well-linings. However, it cannot be ruled out that were inventoried, described, and identifed wood was traded to the fort as a raw material. when no wood identifcation had yet taken Boxwood, for example, grows in the place. During the inventory, many of the Mediterranean region. Nevertheless, it was originally listed objects were discovered to be found as a piece of turning waste in the fort, missing. Afer excavation, several objects had suggesting the local production of wooden dried out or decayed so considerably over the objects on a lathe. Together with a possible tool years that they had eventually been thrown support, the turning waste constitutes the away. Therefore, the actual number of wooden earliest indication of woodturning in Dutch artefacts that was excavated remains unclear. A contexts. There are more indications for wood- total of 597 of the most recognisable fnds are working: two planes, at least two mallets, tool known to have been identifed and selected for handles, processing waste, and a few roughouts conservation by wood specialist Pauline van are indicative of craf activities in the fort.