advertentieOn June 26, the book Sunken Heritage: A Dutch History Through 15 Iconic Shipwrecks
was presented. At the National Museum of Antiquities, Christianne Mattijssen, Director of Heritage & Arts at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, received the first copy. In this richly illustrated book, archaeologists Jolanda Bos, Martijn Manders, Bjørn Smit, and Wouter Waldus tell the history of the Netherlands through fifteen iconic shipwrecks.
Rich Maritime Past
The Netherlands has a rich maritime past. For centuries, rivers and seas formed the geographical contours of our country. The ability to sail was a bitter necessity for many and formed the economic, social, and cultural backbone of society. In the soil and underwater lie the silent witnesses of this past: shipwrecks, scattered throughout the Netherlands – from prehistoric dugout canoes to modern cargo ships.
Fifteen Iconic Shipwrecks
Sunken Heritage tells the Dutch history through fifteen iconic shipwrecks. Each wreck offers a window into a specific period, event, or theme: from water management to trade, from colonial expansion to the daily life of inland skippers. This richly illustrated book offers a unique perspective on our past – not seen from land, but from the water.
“In the Netherlands, we often look at the past from the land,” says Jolanda Bos. “With this book, we consciously turn that gaze around – and discover the history of the Netherlands from the water.”
Book Presentation
At the National Museum of Antiquities, an extensive program was arranged prior to the official handover of the book Sunken Heritage: A Dutch History Through 15 Iconic Shipwrecks
. Visitors could watch five short films about maritime research and view the exhibition Above Ground featuring several maritime finds.
Subsequently, there were two lectures; by Tara Pijpers (working as a maritime archaeologist at ADC Maritime and former participant of the Field School Ship Archaeology Flevoland) and Martijn Manders (senior researcher at the RCE and professor of underwater archaeology and maritime heritage management at Leiden University). Tara Pijpers spoke about the future of maritime heritage care. Martijn Manders discussed the importance of the book and the role of the Cultural Heritage Agency in the protection of maritime heritage.
Christianne Mattijssen, Director of Heritage & Arts at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science received the first copy from Jolanda Bos (author and BLKVLD Publishers).
The book Sunken Heritage is available from BLKVLD Publishers.