Protecting and Developing the Archaeological Historical Landscape (BBO)
Welcome to the website of the BBO incentives programme. Protecting and Developing the Archaeological Historical Landscape (BBO) is an initiative of the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO)-Humanities in association with the Ministries of Education, Culture and Science, Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, Transport, Public Works and Water Management, and Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment, and the State Service for Archaeology, Cultural Landscape and Monuments (RACM).
Why BBO?
The Dutch archaeological-historical landscape faces major environmental changes which ultimately threaten the archaeological heritage. In addition, there is little or no interest in the latent archaeological-historical landscape. This is because cultural history is sometimes regarded as a restraint on spatial economic development in which there is no clear-cut place for cultural history in environmental planning and design. The uncertain position of the archaeological-historical landscape in Dutch environmental planning was initially considered to be due to a lack of knowledge and its application to policy. This has led to a powerful incentive on the part of scientists to address relevant problems concerning archaeological-historical landscapes.
BBO Objective
The main objective of the BBO incentives programme was to broaden the basis for landscape heritage by increasing scientific research on the interface between knowledge and policy.
The primary targets of the programme were therefore:
- To study archaeological values in the landscape and in the soil, particularly in connection with historical-geographical values
- With the knowledge of the cultural landscape thus acquired, to contribute to environmental planning and to the process of developing a sustainable, livable environment
Structure of the programme
The central concepts in the programme were 'Cultural biography of the landscape' and 'Research and Action'. 'Cultural biography' linked the landscape of the past to that of the present and the future; 'Research and Action' was an approach in which scientific knowledge and active intervention go hand in hand to solve complex social problems and processes. Both concepts have been elaborated in two essays.
Lines of research
The programme followed two lines of research:
- Strategic research, in which the cultural-historical view of the meaning of the archaeological-historical landscape was combined with an interdisciplinary valuation
- Short-term studies (applied research) focused on specific problems. Of importance were not only the methods, techniques and procedures and the results they produce, but also their applications
On this site you will find general information on the programme itself as well as information about the research that has been funded within the scope of this programme.