The University of Amsterdam houses one of the finest labs for zooarchaeology worldwide. This website provides information on its reference collection and how to access it for your research.
Reference collection
The Laboratory for Zooarchaeological Research at the University of Amsterdam houses one of the largest reference collections specifically designed for archaeological research. Since the 1960s the collection has gradually grown into an unique assemblage of primarily Northwestern European mammals, birds, fish, amphibians, reptiles and molluscs. Additional non-European fauna include a variety of taxa from the Middle East. The collection is frequently used by Dutch and international scholars and specialists. Students of the University of Amsterdam are trained in zooarchaeological research during their studies.
The collection was founded by dr. Loes van Wijngaarden and is currently headed by dr. Chiara Cavallo and managed by drs. Anja Fischer.
Leica stereomicroscope
Bio microscope
Measurement tools
Object photography
Working desks
Reference collection
Archival collection
Zooarchaeological reports IPP
LABORATORY
Manuals
Books
Reports
CENTRAL LIBRARY
5 minute walk
Dr. Chiara Cavallo is senior lecturer in archaeozoology at the University of Amsterdam. She has done research of faunal material from various sites from Europe and the Near East, dating from the Mesolithic to the (post)medieval time. She is involved in research programs relating the Romanization and the food provision to the roman army of the Northwestern area of the Netherlands and in studies of faunal remains from a number of Dutch sites. Her research interests and teaching lie in the relation between man and animals within an historical and ecological perspective.
Jan researches the diets and supplies of a former Amsterdam Area known as 'Vlooienburg' (AD 1600-1800). For this he studies the animal remains of various cesspits and tries to reconstruct dietary customs as well as livestock supplies. One of his aims is to investigate how diets and supplies may be entangled with identities performed by these past urban households.
Anneke is videographer and photographer. She produces audiovisual materials for the lab. Anneke prefers to collaborate with the researcher on the imaging within the research: how to portray research objects in relation to questions asked and which medium suits best for this purpose. She does object photography, videoclips, minidocs.