Journal of Archaeology in the Low Countries 4-2 (April 2013)

The biography of wells: a functional and ritual life history

Martijn van Haasteren, Maaike Groot

Keywords: well, biography, lifecycle, Roman, Iron Age, Netherlands, ritual, rubbish, well construction, abandonment


Abstract
1. Introduction
2. The lifecycle of a well: the functional side
2.1 Construction
2.2 Period of use
2.3 Abandonment
3. Rubbish, loss or ritual
4. Ritual deposits in wells
4.1 Inventory
4.2 Grouping of deposits
5. Rituals surrounding the life of a well
5.1 Marking the construction
5.2 Taking the well into use
5.3 Ritual deposits within the fill
5.4 Deposits in the top fill
6. Conclusion and suggestions for future research
Acknowledgements
References
Appendix