(De)constructing the Mesolithic. A History of Hut Reconstructions in the Netherlands

Abstract

The amount of reconstructions of huts from the Mesolithic period all over Northern Europe has boomed over the last 5 years, signaling a significant increase in scholarly interest. However, the scientific basis of these experimental reconstructions is often unclear. At the same time, the excavation and preliminary publication of two recently discovered Mesolithic huts in the Netherlands indicate structures of a completely different build than the proposed reconstructions. This prompted a study into the history of reconstructions in the Netherlands, as well as their archaeological basis and ethnographic inspiration.

Keywords

• construction of building
• (re)construction
• hut
• mesolithic
• the netherlands