During the Reuvensdagen in Rotterdam, the W.A. van Es Prize 2025 was awarded to Gwen Verhoeven. Her masters thesis In search of the invisible dead. Exploring the deposition of human remains in Dutch Neolithic, Bronze Age, and Iron Age settlements
was judged the best by the jury.
From the Jury Report: A well-written thesis demonstrating that loose human bone material, often too quickly labeled as ‘contextless’, is actually a rich source of information. By combining a strong theoretical framework with a solid empirical basis, it convincingly shows that these finds are part of formal burial practices. This research provides Dutch archaeology with valuable tools to make this previously underexposed find category visible.
The jury of the W.A. van Es Prize this year consisted of:
- Jos Bazelmans
- Nathalie Brusgaard
- Menno Dijkstra
- Wim van Es
- Lisette Kootker (chair)
- Roos van Oosten
- Saskia Stevens
The W.A. van Es Prize is an encouragement award from the Cultural Heritage Agency for young research talent in the field of Dutch archaeology. This archaeology prize is alternately awarded to a dissertation (PhD) or a masters thesis (MA/MSc). The prize includes an amount of € 2,000 and a certificate. The award ceremony traditionally takes place during the Reuvensdagen.
The W.A. van Es Prize was established on December 20, 1988, upon the departure of the then director of the Cultural Heritage Agency, Prof. Dr. W.A. van Es.
