Dear Histarchers, Some time ago someone had a query about the Dutch word
'beerput'. My cousin Marianne van Kempen sent me the following:
"The word "beerput". Beer has 4 meanings in Dutch: 1. Bear (animal).
2. Human droppings (very old-Dutch, we don't use it anymore). 3.
Male pig. 4. Buttress (architecture).
Put means pit.
Beerput has 2 meanings; 1. Pit for droppings. 2. Reservoir for dirty
and indecent affairs (businesses).... [for example, 'That house is a beerput'].
I do remember a farm where a shelf with a big hole was placed over a
beerput as a toilet. (I'm getting old)."
Cousin means human waste when she writes 'human droppings'. To me 'beerput'
is the same as privy pit. All privy pits I have excavated were used for
depositing both human waste and household rubbish. I do keep track of Dutch
archaeology and the material described as coming from 'beerputs' are of the
same nature as material generally excavated from older privies.
Regards, Robert.
Archaeologist & Heritage Consultant
ph: + 61 + 2 43882169 fax: + 61 + 2 43898450
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/LeftBank/6559
31 Wombat St Berkeleyvale NSW Australia 2261