B.C.S. Levering S1841807 Drinking water: Liquid Gold of the City An urban archaeological study of the cisterns in Early Modern Amsterdam (1650-1850) Image on cover: Binnenplaatsje, Andreas Schelfhout, 1820-1830. SK-A-3887. (https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/nl/zoeken/objecten?q=SK-A- 3887&p=1&ps=12&st=Objects&ii=0#/SK-A-3887,0). Contact: B.C.S. Levering Diamantplein 39 2332 HT, Leiden Email: [email protected] Tel.: 06-11204996 Drinking water: Liquid Gold of the City An urban archaeological study of the cisterns in Early Modern Amsterdam (1650-1850) B.C.S. Levering S1841807 Bachelor Thesis Supervisor: Dr. R.M.R. van Oosten Specialisation: Urban Archaeology Archaeology of North-western Europe University of Leiden Faculty of Archaeology Leiden, 17th of June 2019 Final Version Contents Contents ................................................................................................................... 1 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 3 1.1 Research problems .............................................................................................. 3 1.2 Research goals & questions ................................................................................ 4 1.3 Materials .............................................................................................................. 5 1.4 Reader’s guide ..................................................................................................... 5 2 History of Amsterdam ....................................................................................... 7 2.1 1200-1850 AD: City of Amsterdam .................................................................... 7 2.2 Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 11 3 “A beautiful virgin with a smelly breath” ........................................................ 12 3.1 Pollution of the canals ....................................................................................... 12 3.2 The search for solutions .................................................................................... 14 3.3 Water pipes ....................................................................................................... 15 3.4 Conclusions ....................................................................................................... 16 4 On Cellars, Cesspits& Cisterns ....................................................................... 17 4.1 Cellars ............................................................................................................... 17 4.2 Cesspits ............................................................................................................. 19 4.3 Wells ................................................................................................................. 19 4.4 Cisterns .............................................................................................................. 19 4.5 Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 21 5 The Cisterns of Amsterdam ............................................................................. 22 5.1 Estates ............................................................................................................... 23 5.2 Industry ............................................................................................................. 24 5.3 Inn ..................................................................................................................... 24 5.4 Religious ........................................................................................................... 24 5.5 Residence .......................................................................................................... 25 5.6 Residence/workshops ........................................................................................ 25 5.7 Rural .................................................................................................................. 26 5.8 Floor surfaces .................................................................................................... 27 5.9 Maximum capacity ............................................................................................ 27 5.10 Public cisterns ................................................................................................... 29 1 5.11 Conclusions ....................................................................................................... 29 6 Discussion ........................................................................................................ 31 6.1 Dating cisterns ................................................................................................... 31 6.1.1 Early cisterns ............................................................................................. 32 6.1.2 Why cisterns? ............................................................................................ 33 6.1.3 Out with the old, in with the new .............................................................. 34 6.2 Locating cisterns ............................................................................................... 36 6.2.1 The Jordaan ............................................................................................... 37 6.2.2 Valkenburgerstraat .................................................................................... 38 6.2.3 Oostenburg ................................................................................................ 38 6.2.4 Old centre .................................................................................................. 40 6.3 Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 41 7 Conclusion ....................................................................................................... 43 7.1 Question 1 ......................................................................................................... 43 7.2 Question 2 ......................................................................................................... 44 7.3 Question 3 ......................................................................................................... 44 7.4 Question 4 ......................................................................................................... 45 7.5 Research question ............................................................................................. 46 7.6 Limitations ........................................................................................................ 46 7.7 Recommendations ............................................................................................. 47 Summary ................................................................................................................ 48 Samenvatting .......................................................................................................... 48 Bibliography ........................................................................................................... 50 Amsterdamse Archeologische Rapporten (AAR) ......................................................... 51 Internet links ................................................................................................................. 55 List of figures .......................................................................................................... 56 List of tables ........................................................................................................... 57 Appendix 1 ............................................................................................................. 58 Appendix 2 ............................................................................................................. 62 2 1 Introduction The discipline of archaeology knows many faces. One of these is the brick face of the urbanised (post-)medieval environment. Many themes have been researched in urban archaeology, from house plans to fortifications, burials and cesspits. One aspect of urban life is however often overlooked: fresh drinking water. As no urbanised society can function without a constant supply of clean water, obtaining drinking water is vital for the existence and preservation of a healthy population. Water was not only used for consumption, but also in many household activities, such as washing, cooking and cleaning. Furthermore, large quantities of clean water are needed for many industries, for example beer brewing. Of course, this water had to be stored somewhere. Traditionally, wells and rain barrels were used. However, in the course of the 17th century a new invention arose: cisterns. 1.1 Research problems Little research has yet been conducted on cisterns. In 2007, Gawronski and Veerkamp published an article on eighty cisterns in Amsterdam. In this article, the architectural aspects and methods of construction of cisterns are described (Gawronski and Veerkamp 2007, 60-64). Furthermore, great emphasis is placed on the size of floor surfaces and, when sufficient data was available, the maximum capacity of cisterns. From their analysis, Gawronski and Veerkamp concluded a standardisation is present in the construction of their eighty cisterns in Amsterdam. In their publication, Gawronski and Veerkamp briefly establish that differences