Centuries-old waste from a cesspit in Amsterdam will be on display from Saturday

The city of Amsterdam will put waste on display which was left in a centuries-old cesspit. The city said that the waste tells a great deal about life in the city 300 years ago. It will be shown off to the public from Saturday.

De Beerput, a cesspit for feces and waste, was found at an archeologist excavation on the Korte Leidsedwarsstraat in the capital’s city center. Last year, a building on that street was dug out to a depth of almost four meters to construct a cellar

Archaeologists found the cesspit in the former courtyard of the building. Their findings are still being studied, and the objects collected are also being analyzed to determine their age and purpose.

During the National Archeologist Days, people can see the items from Saturday in the Amsterdam City Archives in De Bazel on Vijzelstraat. “In this way, everyone can discover how people lived 300 years ago,” said Alderman Rutger Groot Wassink. He called it a “beautiful find.”

The waste can also be seen after the National Archeologist Days. The public display will remain open June 23.