DIMENSIE 
Onderzoek naar de DIer-MENS-relatIE in het Romeinse grafritueel in de civitas Menapiorum

In the town of Oudenburg (West Flanders) the remains of a Roman castellum -dated between the second and fifth century AD- were discovered in the 1950s. In the following seven decades, multiple excavation campaigns took place at the site, which led to a wealth of information about the fortress and its inhabitants. However, in addition to the settlement, a number of grave fields were also recovered in the area, consisting of cremations as well as inhumations.While the latter have been extensively investigated, the cremation graves have received far less attention and have, so far, not been studied in an integrated way.

Funded by a synthesis grant (Flemish Heritage Agency), this DIMENSIE project is not only focused on the osteological (re)analysis of the human remains, but also explicitely emphasizes the analysis of associated burned animal remains, as a way to elucidate prevailing funerary practices. In addition, strontium isotope analyses are conducted on a subsample of human and animal fragments, to shed light on past patterns of mobility and interconnectivity. Our findings will contribute to a better understanding of the identity of the people behind these cremations, their ritual behaviour and their relationship to the Roman settlement of Oudenburg.