Digging through the streetdirt in a constructionpit.

The last years Napoleontic era(mid 19th century) docks in Antwerp, Belgium have been uplifted into new housing zones, new appartments, building still going on.
It was in one of these buildingpits that i came upon many traces of 19th century habitants. The old maps show that this area was primary a stockage area.

Early picture of the nearby docks.

Bassin du bois, actual location.

Still finds portray something of the individuals.
Coins dating to 1866, portraying Léopold2, king of Belgium, Cowryshells used as coinage in a bygone era of slavetrade, Cypraea moneta found on the Maldives and used in Western Africa to trade with locals for slaves.

Inkpots, perfumebottles, potlids, alcoholbottles, stoneware bottles, clay pipes, combs, buttons and so on.

Even mussleshells that are thrown away after been consumed, mussles being a favourite food in Belgium.


Mussleshells in-situ

The actual location of this pit is just near the Indiadock. A dock used for woodtransport in earlier days.

The pit

The stratigraphy

The finds

I quickly came up with many different things, bottles, perfumebottles, clay pipes.

Old alcohol jars,

Cowry money

Old coins

And jarlids and jars which were dated with the help of internet, the actual manufacturer retraced, these are old ceramic perfume items, all coming from the 19th century.

Happy holidays everyone!