ARCHAEOLOGY DAYS BELGIUM – In dialogue with an archaeologist

Especially for the annual Archaeology Days, the museum presents an engaging two-part programme. Discover the latest insights into our collection or join a blitz course in archaeology.

Blitz course in archaeology
Curious about the difference between archaeology and history? Have you always wanted to know what exactly an archaeologist does and which techniques he or she uses? Then take a seat in our auditorium. There, Dr. Sam Cleymans (Gallo-Roman Museum) explains it to you briefly and clearly. Afterwards, you may ask him all your questions.

In dialogue with an archaeologist
Did you know that archaeologists and researchers are constantly making new discoveries about the objects in our collection? In the exhibition ‘From Neanderthal to Gallo-Roman’, no fewer than eight experts are ready to welcome you. They are happy to share their latest insights about several artefacts. They also demonstrate how people in the past made or used these objects. Feel free to ask them all your questions!

Stone tools of the Neanderthals
Experimental archaeologist Christian Casseyas from the Préhistomuseum specialises in prehistory. He personally demonstrates how Neanderthals made stone tools more than 40,000 years ago.

Hunter-gatherers in Lommel
Over the past fifteen years, archeoWorks, the archaeological research team of KU Leuven, carried out several excavation campaigns in Lommel. They investigated a site where hunter-gatherers regularly stayed in temporary camps more than 13,000 years ago. An archaeologist from the excavation team presents the results to you.

The secrets of 2,500-year-old graves
Dr. Sasja van der Vaart-Verschoof – the overdressed archaeologist – is a freelance archaeologist. She contributed to a major study of Celtic elite graves from the 5th century BC in our regions. Using grave finds from Wijshagen as a guide, she shares the surprising research results.

From fibre to fabric: the centuries-old spinning technique
Archaeologist and Egyptologist Veerle van Kersen (KU Leuven) specialises in textiles and textile production. She demonstrates how people in the distant past spun wool and flax using a distaff and spindle. She also shows how textile archaeologists analyse tools and textile remains with a microscope.

Read along with the Romans of Tongeren
Archaeologist Else Hartoch (Gallo-Roman Museum) specialises in the Roman period. In recent years, together with an international team of experts, she studied the Roman wooden writing tablets from Tongeren. She presents the text fragments that the team painstakingly deciphered and explains the wealth of information they revealed about Roman Tongeren.

The pottery of Roman Tongeren
Alain Vanderhoeven is an archaeologist specialising in the Roman period. He led numerous archaeological excavations in Tongeren. Since his retirement, he has been studying excavation finds as a volunteer at the Gallo-Roman Museum. Using authentic pottery shards, he introduces you to the various types of pottery used by the inhabitants of Roman Tongeren.

Archaeology in 3D
Luk van Goor is a specialist in digital heritage. He presents the latest 3D scanning techniques that allow archaeological objects to be recorded down to the smallest details. Recently, he scanned a Roman funerary stele from Tongeren for an exhibition in Aachen. Especially for the Archaeology Days, you can admire the real stele.

Discover the secrets of Merovingian gold before anyone else
David Dujardin (Gallo-Roman Museum) is an archaeologist and goldsmith. Last year, he had our Merovingian golden jewellery examined by the team of the Mero-Jewel project of the Art & History Museum and the University of Liège. The results have not yet been published, but during the Archaeology Days you will already get a preview.

Admission to the permanent exhibition ‘From Neanderthal to Gallo-Roman’ and all activities is free during Archaeology Days.

Practical information:

• When: Sunday 31 May 2026
• Time: Blitz course in archaeology: at 1 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm and 4 pm
• In dialogue with an archaeologist: continuously between 1 pm and 6 pm
• Duration: Blitz course in archaeology: 30 min. In dialogue with an archaeologist: 90 to 120 min., approx. 15 min. per expert
• Price: free
• No advance reservation is required.