The Prehistory of the Netherlands

Kooijmans, L.P. Louwe; Broeke, van den P.W; Fokkens, H.; Gijn, van

doi:10.5117/9789053561607

Cited by 41 publications

(29 citation statements)

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“…Humans additionally had a substantial direct impact on the Dutch landscape with major land-reclamation projects [8]. As a result of this, large parts of the country that are densely populated today, were not suitable for human habitation during several periods in both prehistoric and historic times [9,10]. Figure 1 provides examples of the changing Dutch landscape and its suitability for human settlement from 500 Before Christ (BC) to the present day, and illustrates the changing conditions relevant for human habitation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, archaeological and historical evidence provides several indications for cultural processes that additionally caused discontinuity of the Dutch population. Some examples are i) the fast population growth and subsequent decline during the Roman period (from 15-30,000 to 150,000 to less than 40,000 in just 400 years time) followed by substantial subsequent migrations [10-15], ii) the religious division that emerged in 1648, which has lasted to the present day [15], and iii) the substantial and complex migrations during the second half of the 20th century [16] [see Additional file 1 for more details].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Clinal distribution of human genomic diversity across the Netherlands despite archaeological evidence for genetic discontinuities in Dutch population history

et al. 2013

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BackgroundThe presence of a southeast to northwest gradient across Europe in human genetic diversity is a well-established observation and has recently been confirmed by genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data. This pattern is traditionally explained by major prehistoric human migration events in Palaeolithic and Neolithic times. Here, we investigate whether (similar) spatial patterns in human genomic diversity also occur on a micro-geographic scale within Europe, such as in the Netherlands, and if so, whether these patterns could also be explained by more recent demographic events, such as those that occurred in Dutch population history.MethodsWe newly collected data on a total of 999 Dutch individuals sampled at 54 sites across the country at 443,816 autosomal SNPs using the Genome-Wide Human SNP Array 5.0 (Affymetrix). We studied the individual genetic relationships by means of classical multidimensional scaling (MDS) using different genetic distance matrices, spatial ancestry analysis (SPA), and ADMIXTURE software. We further performed dedicated analyses to search for spatial patterns in the genomic variation and conducted simulations (SPLATCHE2) to provide a historical interpretation of the observed spatial patterns.ResultsWe detected a subtle but clearly noticeable genomic population substructure in the Dutch population, allowing differentiation of a north-eastern, central-western, central-northern and a southern group. Furthermore, we observed a statistically significant southeast to northwest cline in the distribution of genomic diversity across the Netherlands, similar to earlier findings from across Europe. Simulation analyses indicate that this genomic gradient could similarly be caused by ancient as well as by the more recent events in Dutch history.ConclusionsConsidering the strong archaeological evidence for genetic discontinuity in the Netherlands, we interpret the observed clinal pattern of genomic diversity as being caused by recent rather than ancient events in Dutch population history. We therefore suggest that future human population genetic studies pay more attention to recent demographic history in interpreting genetic clines. Furthermore, our study demonstrates that genetic population substructure is detectable on a small geographic scale in Europe despite recent demographic events, a finding we consider potentially relevant for future epidemiological and forensic studies.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clinal distribution of human genomic diversity across the Netherlands despite archaeological evidence for genetic discontinuities in Dutch population history

et al. 2013

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“…a wet heath), or a more regional phenomenon. The chronology for the various archaeological cultures is after Louwe Kooijmans et al (2005).…”

Section: The Laarder Wasmeren Area (Lwm): Geology Hydrology and Hismentioning

confidence: 99%

Drift sands, lakes, and soils: the multiphase Holocene history of the Laarder Wasmeren area near Hilversum, the Netherlands

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et al. 2013

Netherlands Journal of Geosciences

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A unique complex of multiphased Holocene drift sands and paleosols, with at least two lacustrine phases, was discovered during a major sanitation project in the Laarder Wasmeren area near Hilversum, the Netherlands. The complex could be studied in detail, highly facilitated by the excellent and large-scale exposure of the various deposits and soils. OSL dating was used to establish ages of the phases, where possible differentiating between time of deposition and time of burial by taking into account the potential effects of bioturbation. Pollen analysis served to reconstruct the vegetation during the various phases.A first minor phase of aeolian activity already started before approx. 5,000 BC, followed around 4,000 BC by a second phase and a rather massive third phase around 3,000 BC. After a long phase of soil formation, the latest, massive drift sand phase started around the 14th to 15th century. It clearly represents the classic drift sand phase that started in the Late Middle Ages in the Netherlands. Sand drifting followed on soil forming phases during which the vegetation became increasingly dominated by ericaceous plants and culminated in heathlands. The first three aeolian phases and associated heathlands are much older than generally assumed for heathland and drift sand to occur in the Netherlands. Moreover, podzolisation was found to have started very early, true podzols already occurring before 4,000 BC.Around 3,000 BC groundwater in the area reached a maximum altitude of about 230 cm +NAP, resulting in local open water in the area. This rise is probably linked to the development of the Dutch coastal area, where at that time peat accumulated and drainage was poor, inducing a rise of the groundwater level in ‘het Gooi’. This groundwater level fell later on, to never reach this altitude again. The Groot Wasmeer was formed by local stagnation on a slowly permeable podzol and already reached a level of 320-325 cm +NAP by 400 BC, which more or less equals its 20thcentury level.The results demonstrate that earlier concepts on the occurrence and age of aeolian phases, podzols and heathland vegetations in the Netherlands are far too schematic, and that early, pre-agricultural cultures may already have had an impact on the stability of fragile cover sand landscapes, e.g. through burning. Results are in line with those from several contemporary studies on early prehistoric cultures and their impact in river dune areas in the Central and Eastern Netherlands.

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“…Four boats share the uniform characteristics described above. The oldest of these, the Middle Neolithic Hazendonk fragment (Louwe Kooijmans 2008), dates to 3330–2900 BC and is thus considerably older than the homogeneous tradition in question. It has a single transverse ridge, but does not reveal any other significant information about the vessel.…”

Section: Western Europe and Britain And Irelandmentioning

confidence: 99%