Posted inArchaeology

An Ancient Floor Paved with Animal Bones Found in a Building in Alkmaar, Netherlands

In the historic center of Alkmaar in the Netherlands, a team of municipal archaeologists made an extraordinary discovery during the renovation of a building on Achterdam Street: a section of an ancient floor partially composed of animal bones. These types of findings are extremely rare and, to date, have only been documented in the North […]

Posted inClassical Archaeology

Roman Soldier Flaccus’ Tomb Discovered in the Netherlands, Dating to the Late 1st Century BCE

In late November 2024, during archaeological investigations conducted in Heerlen (Netherlands), an exceptional discovery was made: the tomb of a Roman soldier named Flaccus. This find, dating to the late 1st century BCE and early 1st century CE, represents one of the most significant pieces of evidence of Roman presence in the area. It is […]

Posted inModern Era

The Incursion of the Dutch Fleet That Sailed Up the Thames, Destroyed the Royal Navy, and Unleashed Panic in London

In a recent article titled How the Dutch Ate Their Prime Minister in 1672, we recounted a military event carried out by the navy of the Netherlands that occurred in 1667: a bold naval incursion in which sixty-two warships, under the command of Admiral Michiel de Ruyter and the brother of the Dutch prime minister, […]

Posted inAge of Exploration

Pier Gerlofs Donia, the Giant Peasant Who Fought Against Dutch and Germans in Frisia

If someone visits the Fries Museum in the town of Leuvarden, in the Netherlands, they will see among the exhibits a zweihänder (also called biedenhänder). This is a type of enormous sword, typical of the Modern Age, with a long handle and crossguards suitable for inevitable two-handed use. According to tradition, this weapon belonged to […]

Posted inClassical Archaeology

Evidence of Intentional Roman Use of Narcotic Seeds, Found in Bone Vessel in the Netherlands

The black henbane or mad herb (Hyoscyamus niger) is a highly toxic plant that can also be used for medicinal or psychoactive purposes. Its remains are common in archaeological sites in Northwestern Europe as it grows wild near human settlements, making it difficult to infer whether its presence in the archaeological record is due to […]

Posted inModern Era

Louis Bonaparte, Napoleon’s Brother who Was King of Holland and Confronted Him after the Invasion of the Country by the French

It was the year 1851 when the prince president of France ordered the demolition of the old – and dilapidated – parish church of Saint-Leu-Saint-Gilles in Paris. In its place, another church was built at his expense to house a family crypt. Among others, the mortal remains of his father, who had died in Livorno […]