Garden Archaeology in Flanders. Developing a new archaeological discipline in Flanders at the Neue Garten in the Landcommandery Alden Biesen (Bilzen) and the garden of the Plantin-Moretus Museum at Antwerp

Garden archaeology, a discipline distinct from traditional archaeology, has been successfully applied in Europe for two decades but only recently introduced in Flanders. This study presents the first two garden archaeology excavations in Flanders, focusing on the 18th-century Neue Garten at Alden Biesen and the early 17th-century garden within the Plantin-Moretus Museum complex. The research demonstrates that garden archaeology is more than a tool for reconstruction, providing substantial expertise in this multidisciplinary field. By investigating the layout of tuinpaden (garden paths) and traces of historical gardens, the study showcases its potential to uncover architectural and biological remains, offering valuable insights into the design and history of these spaces.

Dix, B., Vynckier, G., Bellens, T., Van den Bossche, H., & Fabri, R. (2013). Garden Archaeology in Flanders. Developing a new archaeological discipline in Flanders at the Neue Garten in the Landcommandery Alden Biesen (Bilzen) and the garden of the Plantin-Moretus Museum at Antwerp. Relicta. Archeologie, Monumenten- En Landschapsonderzoek in Vlaanderen, (10), 275–344. https://doi.org/10.55465/cfrb6467