GHENT, BELGIUM—VRT News reports that traces of a fortress constructed by Holy Roman Emperor Charles V in the sixteenth century have been uncovered in northwestern Belgium, in an area slated for new construction. Charles V is said to have built the castle on the site of a seventh-century abbey after residents of Ghent rebelled against his imposition of higher taxes. The castle was eventually taken down in the nineteenth century to make way for other buildings. Archaeologist Robby Vervoort said that his investigation of the site revealed walls of the emperor’s former army quarters. “Presumably, the Spanish soldiers stayed here,” he explained. Vervoort and his colleagues have also discovered glass bowls, wine bottles, and a cesspit at the site. “We will be able to find out what the soldiers ate, based on the animal remains, seeds and plant pollen we find here,” he added. In addition, the researchers found human remains dated from the thirteenth through sixteenth centuries in the abbey cemetery, and pottery and building materials dating to the Roman period. To read in-depth about castle archaeology, go to "How to Build a Medieval Castle."
