Lost and Found in Flanders Fields

In 2002, new plans for Belgium’s A19 motorway extension were officially announced. From its then current terminus at Wieltje, near Ypres in Belgian Flanders, the motorway would be extended to Steenstraete at Langemark-Poelkapelle. This new motorway would traverse 7km of the northern section of the old Ypres Salient battlefield of the First World War. The Ministry of Culture commissioned the Flemish Heritage Institute (VIOE) to undertake a detailed archaeological evaluation of the area. ¹ In a preliminary phase, Mathieu de Meyer of VIOE started in the spring of 2002 with a comprehensive non-destructive analysis of the projected route (de Meyer 2004). Trench lines and other fortifications were plotted on GIS, using British, French and German trench maps. Contemporary aerial photographs of the surveyed area were geo-referenced. Local farmers were systematically interviewed and an extensive site surface survey was undertaken. Based on all information, nine areas were selected for archaeological fieldwork (de Meyer and Pype 2006). Six areas were investigated between October 2002 and December 2003 (Pype and De Gryse 2004; and see Dewilde and Saunders 2009). This chapter focuses on the eight sets of human remains found during these archaeological investigations – an analysis which highlights also procedural and methodological issues and the sometimes problematic relationship between archaeology and legislation.