Special find from a cesspit
During archaeological research at Rodetorenplein in 2005, the foundation of a stone house from the 14th century was found. Research showed that at the end of the 15th century, a horseshoe-shaped cesspit was added to the house. The cesspit collected the residents excrement and household waste was dumped there. The finds from the cesspit show that it remained in use until the early 17th century. After that, a small amount of waste was still deposited in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Kortjan
Various objects made of pottery, glass, bone, and metal were found in the cesspit. A unique find is this wooden sheath with beautiful tin inlay. Such narrow, long sheaths are associated with the ‘kortjan’, a knife carried by sailors on their belts.
As mentioned, the sheath is made of wood with inlaid tin parts. The tin was cast and then refined with a burin, also called an engraving tool. The year 1615 is inscribed on the side. The sheath has a mouth band that protects the sheath opening and helps guide the knife when inserted. The tip is decorated with an animal head with teeth. The middle section is divided into panels by narrow horizontal and vertical strips. In the center of the sheath is a mans head with beard and crown or mitre.
Connection to seafaring
Leather knife sheaths are regularly found in cities, but wooden examples are much rarer. In the Netherlands, only about twenty-five are known, all dating from the 16th and 17th centuries. The Zwolle example can be dated around 1615 based on the inscription.
Kortjan sheaths are usually found in contexts clearly related to seafaring. For the Zwolle find, a connection to seafaring is also obvious. At Rodetorenplein, where the sheath was found, there was a large crane in the 17th century for transshipping goods. Goods were mainly brought in via the Vecht river from the Zwolle hinterland, including the County of Bentheim. In Zwolle, goods were loaded onto sea vessels and transported further via the Zwarte Water, which was directly connected to the Zuiderzee.
Come and see!
The Find of the Month can be seen at the Heritage Hotspot in ANNO City Museum Zwolle. Want to know more? Then visit the website www.anno.nl.
Text: Heritage Municipality of Zwolle, Vincent van der Veen
Images
- Fig. 1. The Kortjanschede found in the cesspit under Rodetorenplein (Heritage Zwolle).
- Fig. 2. Detail of a print from around 1580 showing a sailor wearing a kortjan on his belt (Rijksmuseum Amsterdam).
