A Mosaic of Habitation at Zeewijk (the Netherlands): Late Neolithic Behavioural Variability in a Dynamic Landscape

This scientific report is the third and final monograph to emerge from the Odyssey project ‘Unlocking Noord-Holland’s Late Neolithic Treasure Chest: Single Grave Culture behavioural variability in a tidal environment’. It focuses on the analysis of the Zeewijk site, excavated in 1992, 1993 and 1994. In one of the trenches of Zeewijk-East the remains of a large, unusual structure were revealed. This discovery made the Dutch site well known among archaeologists abroad. Due to its large size, it was only partially excavated, yielding a very high quantity of finds. This forced the Odyssey project team to make selections. Looking back at the analysis and publication of the fairly small sites at Keinsmerbrug and Mienakker, the new information added by the much larger Zeewijk site is fascinating. The new results and interpretations are presented in this volume. The analyses show that Zeewijk was a location where recurrent habitation took place, year-round and intensive, alternating with subsistence activities. It is a permanent mosaic of different assemblages: relocated dwellings, cultivated plots, a large variety of local crafts and the building and partial demolition of a remarkable ritual structure in Zeewijk-East. This points to a community of several families, with ties of kinship both genetic and affinal