Dutch researcher puts temporary informal Roman capital in Voorburg

Designation possible as World Heritage site

VOORBURG, the Netherlands - The public awareness of a past Roman presence in the Netherlands has been fairly general, but has taken a marked upturn in recent years with a number of highly interesting artifact producing excavations, mostly in areas along the Roman Limes. Another very interesting academic 'excavation' was recently revealed with the news of the delivery of a cross-over dissertation at the Free University by researcher Tom Buitendorp, who studied archives for information.

A post graduate student at the university's Literature Department, Buitendorp examined numerous archeological excavations, including the oldest known in the world. Comparing reports, Buitendorp discovered, for example, that the high water table level and the type of soil in the area, preserved artifacts in the Netherlands to the same degree as did the volcanic ash of the Pompeii eruption.

Buitendorp also concluded that the Voorburg site, known in the second century as Forum Hadriani and named after Emperor Hadrianus, served as an unofficial capital of the Roman empire while Hadrianus was with his troops in the area, then known as Germania Inferior.

The Dutch government has responded to Buitendorp's conclusions by earmarking its well-preserved archeological site as a future World Heritage site.

This above is part of a much larger article on the Roman Lines in the Netherlands which can be read in this issue of the Windmill Herald. You may request a back copy of issue number #1156 when starting a new subscription online or by phone.