L.S.,
 
In the Dutch town of Dordrecht, the mouth of the river Rhine, we find
14th-15th c. ceramics that are coming from the Middle-Rhine area,
south of Frankfurt a. M (D) and north of the Schwartzwald. In
Dordrecht it appears only in the artisan-districts. Apart from two
other rivertowns and the Frankfurt-Heidelberg area the material, is
not found in Flanders or elsewhere.
It must be cheap material, mainly jugs and cookingpots of average
quality. One of the connections apart from the upstream trade is the
rafts coming down the river.
 
I suspect that the ceramics come down with the woodtrade from the
densly forested area's around Middle- and Upper Rhine.
 
Is anything known about the people who steer and row these rafts?
How do they live there, or do they step off to sleep and eat?
Do they indeed build logcabins on these rafts?
How many people were on a raft of what size?
Is it a seasonal occupation?
How big can these rafts get?
Where do the rafstmen go when their raft is at its destination?
What is left of it apart from the people and the wood?
Is their any cargo on board?
How fast do these things go?
Has anything been published about historical rafting?
 
I hope someone has answers to this, preferably with archeological
evidence.
 
 
many thanks
 
Michiel Bartels
State Service fror Archaeology
Amersfoort
The Netherlands