Roderick C.A. Geerts MA

Pottery and the Roman period are central to Roderick’s career. It started during his education at Leiden University and developed until pottery became a focal point in his research. After his graduation from Leiden University in 2009 he worked at Archeologie Delft (2005-2009) and subsequently started in 2010 at ADC ArcheoProjecten, where he is still employed. His current employment within Dutch development-led archaeology as a field director, senior KNA archaeologist and senior KNA specialist material culture provides ample opportunity to broaden his vision on all facets of Dutch archaeology, thereby focusing on the Roman period, Iron Age and Roman-period pottery as well as Second World War archaeology. He was one of the authors of the KNA Leidraad Romeins aardewerk (Guidelines on the study of Roman pottery).

He has published many excavation reports, specialist chapters and papers on this topic. With a membership and as board member of several specialist organisations he promotes the study of material culture and Roman pottery. His research interest into pottery doesn’t stop there. In 2019, he started his Ph.D. at Leiden University on changes in Roman pottery assemblages, which will be completed in 2024.

Since 2015 he is involved in the Berenike Project (Egypt, lead by the University of Delaware and PCMA in Warsaw), where he is part of the pottery team that analyses the Ptolemaic, Roman and Late Roman pottery from this cosmopolitan port site. Many publications on Berenike are forthcoming, and also on the pottery found at several Late Roman and Islamic sites the Eastern Desert Survey of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and University of Delaware.
In 2023 he started his own company, RODERICVS ceramics, through which he recreates Roman pottery as a potter. His replicas are sold but the process also yields valuable insights into production processes – he is furthermore involved in several research projects concerning the recreation of ancient pottery.

Key Publications:

• Geerts, R.C.A. 2019b. Self-made Roman. Handmade pottery as a marker of identity, in: S. Arnoldussen, E.A.G. Ball, J. van Dijk, E.H.L.D. Norde and N. de Vries (eds), Metaaltijden 6. Bijdragen in de studie van de Metaaltijden, 283-290. Leiden: Sidestone Press.

• Geerts, R.C.A. 2020. Colour-coded for your Convenience. Skeumorphism in Roman Pottery Production in Germania Inferior, in: C. Viegas (ed.), Rei Cretariæ Romanæ Fautorum Acta 46, 475-480. Oxford: Archaeopress.

• Geerts, R.C.A. 2021a. Dishing out Dinner. Ceramic, Glass and Wooden Vessels on the Roman Table in Berenike (Egypt). Bulletin de Liaison de la Céramique Égyptienne 30, 139-150.

• Geerts, R.C.A. 2021b. De vindplaats in scherven. Een eerste aanzet voor een analyse van de fragmentatie van aardewerk in de Romeinse tijd, in: P.W. van den Broeke, R.C.A. Geerts, S. Hoss en R.A. Houkes (reds), Nieuwe inzichten in archeologisch materiaal. ArtefActueel 1, 19-29. Zwolle: SPA Uitgevers.

• Geerts, R.C.A. 2021c. Pottery on Mars. A 3rd century settlement at Trade Parc Westland, the Netherlands. Journal of Roman Pottery Studies 18, 81-94.

• Geerts, R.C.A. 2023. Supplied with Severan sigillata. A late 2nd-3rd century assemblage from Trade Parc Westland (province of South-Holland, the Netherlands), in: B. Liesen (ed.), Zwischen Töpfer und Verbraucher/Between potter and consumer. Internationales Kolloquium im LVR-RömerMuseum 27.-29. März 2019. Xantener Berichte 41, 153-176. Oppenheim am Rhein: Nünnerich-Asmus Verlag.

• Geerts, R.C.A. 2024. Cultuur gevormd door klei. Efficiëntere pottenbakkers aan de basis van culturele veranderingen, in: R.C.A. Geerts, P.W. van den Broeke, S. Hoss en R.A. Houkes (reds), Nieuwe inzichten in archeologisch materiaal. ArtefActueel 2. Zwolle: SPA Uitgevers.

• Geerts, R.C.A., J. Hendriks, J. Van Kerckhove and S. Heeren 2020. KNA-Leidraden Anorganisch materiaal. Leidraad 4: aardewerk uit de Romeinse tijd (ca. 20 voor Chr.-450 na Chr.). Gouda: Stichting Infrastructuur Kwaliteitsborging Bodembeheer.

• Van der Feijst, L.M.B. and R.C.A. Geerts 2021. Roman cemeteries in the Dutch eastern river area, in: C. Agricola and E. Deschler-Erb (eds), Memento mori. Aktuelle Forschungen zu Bestattungssitten im Rheinland. Kölner Studien zur Archäologie der Römischen Provinzen – Digital Band 1, 10-23. Cologne: Universität zu Köln.

• Van der Velde, H.M., E. Altena, M. d’Hollosy, L.M. Kootker, A. Pijpelink, R.C.A. Geerts en H.A.P. Veldman, 2022. Op zoek naar nieuw geluk. Onderzoek naar inhumaties uit de Romeinse tijd in Tongeren. Syntar. Synthese-onderzoek op archeologisch materiaal uit Vlaanderen 10. Brussel: Onroerend Erfgoed.

External link: Roderick C.A. Geerts's Academia.edu profile