Arjan Louwen
Assistant professor
- Name
- Dr. A.J. Louwen
- Telephone
- +31 71 527 1968
- a.j.louwen@arch.leidenuniv.nl
- ORCID iD
- 0000-0002-1113-4165
Arjan Louwen is Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Archaeology
Office days
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday
Research
Land owns/owes People
In northwest Europe, the last millennium BC marks a period of significant changes in the relationship between people and the land they live in. Where at the dawn of the Bronze age the landscape practically still is “borderless,” at the time the Romans arrive the landscape is already largely parceled up by field systems, ditches, fences and earthen walls. It seems that, especially in the last millennium BC, a certain sense of belonging to the land was gradually replaced by a mindset whereby taking possession of the land became increasingly more important. Which possible social and/or environmental processes could have fueled such significant changes in the way in which people perceived and organized the world around them? And how do these changes reflect on modern perceptions about land and ownership?
This last decade has witnessed a rapid development in remote sensing techniques such as LiDAR, electric resistivity and geomagnetic survey techniques that together reveal ever bigger portions of the late prehistoric landscape. Combining these digital datasets with the archaeological data collected from recent large scale excavations makes it possible to study the late prehistoric landscape on a scale as never before. These hundreds of hectares of newly discovered portions of the past landscape however also challenge modern policies regarding heritage management. Therefore, this research not only aims to study the changing social dimensions of the late prehistoric landscape, but also to develop new strategies in preserving these last fragile remnants of the prehistoric landscape for future generations.
Teaching activities
Arjan teaches courses in landscape archaeology and applied archaeology and is reponsible for organising and facilitating Field Schools and internships.
Curriculum vitae
Arjan Louwen (1986) studied ‘Prehistory of Northwest Europe’ at Leiden University. After graduation in 2010, Arjan has worked alternatingly in commercial archaeology (Archol bv. Leiden) and for Leiden University as a field archaeologist. Since 2012 he has worked full-time at Leiden University, first as a teacher and field director, later as PhD-student. His PhD-research revolved around the funerary practices associated with the urnfields in the Lower-Rhine-Basin and the complex relationship that existed at the time between people, objects and place.
During his time as a PhD-candidate, he taught courses in Landscape Archaeology and directed multiple Field Schools. Arjan is currently still working at Leiden University as assistant professor in applied archaeology.
Assistant professor
- Faculteit Archeologie
- Archaeological Heritage
- Field Research Education Centre
- Louwen A.J., Jansen R., Waal M.S. de & Hamburg T. (2023), Oss – Gewandeweg: addendum op Archol PvE 150. Leiden: Archol bv. [other].
- Jansen R., Waal M.S. de, Louwen A.J. & Hamburg T. (2022), Programma van Eisen, Opgraving Oss-Gewandeweg no. 150. Leiden: Archol BV.
- Jansen R., Waal M.S. de, Louwen A. & Hamburg T. (2022), Programma van Eisen, proefsleuvenonderzoek Oss-Het Brand no. 149. Leiden: Archol BV.
- Louwen A.J. (2022), -1100: Grenzeloze landschappen voor de voorouders. In: Heerma van Voss L., Bouras N., Hart M. 't, Heiden M. van der & Lucassen L. (Eds.), Nog meer wereldgeschiedenis van Nederland no. 2. Amsterdam: Ambo|Anthos uitgevers. 39-44.
- Louwen A.J. (17 June 2021), Breaking and making the ancestors. piecing together the urnfield mortuary process in the Lower-Rhine-Basin, ca. 1300–400 BC (Dissertatie, Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University). Leiden: Sidestone Press. Supervisor(s) and Co-supervisor(s): Fontijn D.R., Fokkens H.
- Louwen A.J. (17 June 2021), Breaking and making the ancestors: piecing together the urnfield mortuary process in the Lower-Rhine-Basin, ca. 1300 - 400 BC (Dissertatie, Archaeology, Leiden). Leiden: Sidestone press. Supervisor(s) and Co-supervisor(s): Prof. dr. David Fontijn (promotor) , Prof. dr. Harry Fokkens (co-promotor).
- Verpoorte A., Fontijn D.R. & Louwen A.J. (2020), Exploring the archaeological heritage of the Uddeler Heegde: an experiment. In: Klinkenberg V., Oosten R. van & Driel-Murray C. van (Eds.), A Human Environment: Studies in honour of 20 years Analecta editorship by prof. dr. Corrie Bakels. Analecta Praehistorica Leidensia no. 50: Sidestone Press. 73-88.
- Bourgeois Q., Fontijn D., Louwen A.J., Jansen R., Kuijpers M., Amkreutz L. & Soressi M. (29 June 2020), Prehistorie was niet zo wit als in de canon. De Volkskrant, Opinie en Debat: 24.
- Louwen A.J. & Fontijn D.R. (2019), Death revisited. The excavation of three Bronze Age barrows and surrounding landscape at Apeldoorn-Wieselseweg. Leiden: Sidestone Press.
- Fontijn D.R. & Louwen A.J. (2019), Introduction. In: Louwen A.J. & Fontijn D.R. (Eds.), Death revisited. The excavation of three Bronze Age barrows and surrounding landscape at Apeldoorn-Wieselseweg.. Leiden: Sidestone Press. 15-20.
- Louwen A.J., Fontijn D.R. & Linde C. van der (2019), The surroundings of the four barrows of AMK-Monument 145. In: Louwen A.J. & Fontijn D.R. (Eds.), Death revisited. The excavation of three Bronze Age barrows and surrounding landscape at Apeldoorn-Wieselseweg.. Leiden: Sidestone Press. 59-68.
- Louwen A.J., Bourgeois Q. & Fontijn D.R. (2019), Mound 1. In: Louwen A.J. & Fontijn D.R. (Eds.), Death revisited. The excavation of three Bronze Age barrows and surrounding landscape at Apeldoorn-Wieselseweg.. Leiden: Sidestone Press. 69-102.
- Louwen A.J., Fontijn D.R., Linde C. van der, Pruijsen M., Smits L. & Hees E. van (2019), Mound 2. In: Louwen A.J. & Fontijn D.R. (Eds.), Death revisited. The excavation of three Bronze Age barrows and surrounding landscape at Apeldoorn-Wieselseweg. Leiden: Sidestone Press. 103-126.
- Louwen A.J., Fontijn D.R., Linde C. van der, Valentijn P., Smits L. & Hees E. van (2019), Mound 3. In: Louwen A.J. & Fontijn D.R. (Eds.), Death revisited. The excavation of three Bronze Age barrows and surrounding landscape at Apeldoorn-Wieselseweg. Leiden: Sidestone Press. 127-152.
- Fontijn D.R. & Louwen A.J. (2019), Revisiting Death. The funerary landscape of Apeldoorn-Wieselseweg. In: Louwen A.J. & Fontijn D.R. (Eds.), Death revisited. The excavation of three Bronze Age barrows and surrounding landscape at Apeldoorn-Wieselseweg. Leiden: Sidestone Press. 167-174.
- Fontijn D.R., Jansen R., Meurkens L., Louwen A.J. & Bourgeois Q.P.J. (2019), Forgotten barrows- preliminary results from the 2018 fieldwork at Baarlo-de Bong and Venlo-Zaarderheiken (NL). In: Arnoldussen S., Ball E., Dijk J. van & Norde E. (Eds.), Metaaltijden 6. Bijdragen in de studie van de Metaaltijden. Leiden: Sidestone Press. 123-131.
- Fontijn D.R., Louwen A.J., Bourgeois Q., Smits L. & Linde C. van der (2018), Bronze Age ancestral communities. New Research of Middle Bronze Age burials in the barrow landscapes of Apeldoorn-Wieselseweg. In: Bakels C.C., Bourgeois Q.P.J., Fontijn D.R. & Jansen R. (Eds.), Local communities in the Big World of prehistoric Northwest Europe. Analecta Praehistorica Leidensia no. 49: Sidestone Press. 77-105.
- Fontijn D., Louwen A.J. & Verpoorte A. (2017), Onder de bomen. Inventariserend veldonderzoek van het grafheuvellandschap van de Uddeler Heegde (Uddel, gemeente Apeldoorn).
- Fontijn D.R. , Louwen A.J. & Verpoorte A. (2016), Onder de bomen: inventariserend veldonderzoek van het grafheuvellandschap van de Uddeler Heegde (Uddel, gemeente Apeldoorn). Leiden: Leiden University.
- Louwen A.J., Verpoorte A. & Fontijn D.R. (2014), Vergeten graven. Inventariserend veldonderzoek in de directe omgeving van vier recentelijk ontdekte grafheuvels in de Uddeler Heegde (Uddel, gemeente Apeldoorn). Leiden: Faculteit der Archeologie.
- Fontijn D.R., Louwen A.J., Vaart van der S. & Wentink K. (Eds.) (2013), Beyond barrows. Current research on the structuration and perception of the prehistoric landscape through monuments. Leiden: Sidestone press.
- Beek R. van & Louwen A.J. (2013), The centrality of urnfields. Second thoughts on structure and stability of Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age cultural landscapes in the Low Countries. In: Fontijn D., Louwen A.J., Vaart S. van der & Wentink K. (Eds.), Beyond Barrows. Current research on the structuration and perception of the Prehistoric Landscape through Monuments. Leiden: Sidestone Press. 81-112.
- Fontijn D.R. (Eds.) (2013), Beyond Barrows. Current Research on the structuration and perception of the prehistoric landscape through monuments [Beyond Barrows. Current Research on the structuration and perception of the prehistoric landscape through monuments] (translation: Fontijn D.R., Louwen A.J., Vaart S. van der & Wentink K.). Leiden: Sidestone Press.
- Louwen A.J. (2013), Archaeology (lesson at primary school). [lecture].
- Louwen A.J. (2013), Heuvels op de Heide. Ontwikkeling en inkadering van het vroege ijzertijd urnenveld Slabroekse Heide (Amersfoort). [lecture].