Pots From Troublesome Times: Ceramics Used in Middelburg-in-Flanders (Belgium) During the Eighty Years’ War

In 1448, the already highly urbanised region around Aardenburg, Damme and Sluis witnessed the founding of a new city, Middelburg-in-Flanders. The thriving start, that characterised this city, soon came to an end. With the outbreak of religious troubles in the second half of the 16th century, the city was located in the frontline of the Spanish-Dutch war. This article examines the ceramics of two garderobe chutes from the lower court of the castle, unearthed during the archaeological excavations of 2004. The analysis of these assemblages raises some questions on the consumption of ceramics outside normal market patterns and political control.