Above ground level in Leiden - FreestampMagazine

The exhibition Boven het maaiveld is on view at RMO Leiden until September 7, 2025. So don't wait too long to admire these highlights of Dutch archaeology all together. A lot of interesting information has been added to the pieces. This year, the theme 'Archaeology' is also the theme of PostEurop, and the Dutch issue of the Fibula is also on display at the exhibition. Highly recommended for every archaeology enthusiast!

Above ground level

Sensational discoveries of 25 years of Dutch archaeology In *Boven het grondveld* (Above Ground Level), you will see the most striking and noteworthy discoveries of 25 years of Dutch archaeology (2000-2025), featuring remarkable finds from across the country, from Maastricht to Texel. The exhibition presents more than five hundred objects originating from some two hundred sites. During excavations, these items literally rose 'above ground level' and figuratively stand out due to their significance and value. All Dutch provinces are represented, including the Caribbean islands of the ABCSSS group. All types of excavators are also featured, from government agencies to metal detectorists and volunteers.

Design for the 1977 Summer stamps, Thermal Baths in Heerlen. Source: geheugen.delpher.nl

Every find has its own value All the finds and objects in the exhibition hold a special value. These can be particularly beautiful objects, items that are unique of their kind, or objects made in a special way. But sometimes the discovery site is also special: what is a Japanese plate doing in a cesspit? Why are lion bones lying in The Hague’s Binnenhof, or an orca bone in a castle moat? And what special information does a 17th-century shipwreck yield? Other objects evoke emotions, for example through their connection to painful histories, such as the Second World War. Personal belongings from Camp Westerbork and the Caribbean bear witness to this, while a love ring, for instance, symbolizes love and tenderness.

Design for the 1977 Summer stamps, Goddess Nehalennia. Source: geheugen.delpher.nl

From oldest chair to newest technology Archaeological finds therefore represent various values. News value often plays a major role as well: which ones make the news or appear in the newspaper? This usually concerns the oldest or unique objects: the oldest chair, a treasure map, or a telescope. New technologies are also featured in *Boven het maaiveld*. In combination with other scientific disciplines, this can lead to spectacular new insights regarding a find. Furthermore, the exhibition focuses on the excavation itself, on objects with specific historical value (such as shipwreck finds or coins), and on objects found with a metal detector.

Design for the 1977 Summer stamps, Ship of Zwammerdam. Source: geheugen.delpher.nl

Research, knowledge and insight Archaeologists look at the past, but live in the present. Why is an archaeological find important or valuable to our society? What does it contribute to our knowledge of the past? Above Ground Level is therefore also about research, knowledge, new perspectives, and personal involvement. Partly due to new insights regarding identity, gender, and status differences, for example, grave goods are viewed differently today, and DNA research is proving to yield surprising results.