ABSTRACT
The former island of Schokland was one of the fi rst sites in the Netherlands to be monitored to assess threats to the archaeological record and ongoing degradation processes. In addition, the measurements and tests performed at the site also form part of a larger effort to increase our knowledge of degradation processes and develop monitoring techniques. Monitoring started in 1999, and subsequent measurements were taken in 2001, 2006, and 2009/10. They included measurements of groundwater tables, water composition, redox, soil moisture and soil chemistry, micromorphology, and degradation of botanical remains and bone. This time series of measurements makes it possible — fi rst and foremost — to study long-term effects and changes in the Schokland burial environment, and their effects on the archaeology. In addition, the development of monitoring techniques around Schokland illustrates how the fi eld of archaeological monitoring has evolved over the years.
