From Thursday 2 May, an unusual find from Gorcum's soil can be seen in the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden: a medieval jug, once used as a mousetrap. This 'mouse pot' of simple grey earthenware was produced in North Flanders between 1275 and 1325. The jug was found eight years ago during the excavation of a medieval horse mill on the Arkel Street,

Such traps were often dug in places where mice had their running route, sometimes with some bait on the bottom of the trap. In archaeological research into rural contexts, mouse pots have been found more often, usually dug in around a haystack or spike. Excavations of late medieval rural settlements in Utrecht have yielded several dozen mouse pots, dated between the 11^e century and the first half of the 16^e century. Until the 19^e century, buried utility pottery was used as a mousetrap. A catalogue of tools from 1810 shows pots specially made for this purpose, which were sold for ƒ 0,25.

Effective

An article in the Provinciale Overijsselse en Zwolse Courant of 10 October 1866, reports a plague of mice that had destroyed several rapeseed harvests. One farmer fought the pests by digging 56 mouse pots into the furrows of his field. He managed to catch up to 164 mice per day in this way – and thus saved his harvest. The pot found in the current investigation is a reused pot, just like the mousetraps in Utrecht, where discarded pots and jugs were used.

The discovery of the mouse pot in 2011.

Because only a few traces could be associated with the first phase of habitation during the excavation at the Arkelstraat, it is unclear in what context the Gorcum mousetrap was used. The presence of remains of a living layer and a few (storage) pits make it plausible that people lived in the immediate vicinity of the mouse pot. It is conceivable that one of the first inhabitants of Gorinchem imported this originally agricultural method of pest control to the city.

Mouse bones

The can was a very effective mousetrap. This is evident from the hundreds of mouse bones that were found in the filling. Considering the number of complete lower jaws of field mice, at least 41 of these animals were left behind in the can. Reference was made earlier to the story of a farmer who managed to catch about three mice per pot in one day by digging mouse pots in the furrows of his field. Although it can be assumed that the Gorcum mouse pot was not located near a field, the 41 mice would have been the harvest of at least two weeks if it were equally effective. Incidentally, the numbers mentioned show that the mouse skeletons were certainly not found complete. Taking into account the possibility that some of the bones have decayed, or could not be collected from the sieve by eye due to their minuscule size, the number of 441 fragments for 41 individuals is still quite low. After all, a mouse skeleton contains about 250 bones.

Bycatch

In addition to the field mice, a vole and at least three house mice were captured. In an urban context, the vole may be an unexpected sighting, but the proximity of the banks of a river – the animal’s natural habitat – offers an explanation.

Market stall in Konstanz, where frogs were sold in addition to fish, from Das Konzil zu Konstanz (1414-1418)

Market stall in Konstanz, where frogs were also offered in addition to fish, Das Konzil zu Konstanz (1414−1418)

The presence of 31 frog bones and two toad bones is more difficult to explain, especially since these are all bones from the legs. One would almost suspect that frog legs were eaten here, if it were not for the fact that this dish was mainly reserved for the Mediterranean elite in the late Middle Ages. It was not until the 18^e century, eating frog legs would become a fashionable phenomenon in wider circles. It is therefore more likely that the frogs and toads were “bycatch”. Although frogs sometimes leave their watery habitat in rainy weather and can end up indoors, given the amount of frog and toad bones (and the presence of voles!) it is perhaps more likely that the mouse pot was located on the outside of a building. The storage pits that were found near the mouse pot will have been located in a house or outbuilding, so it can be assumed that the mouse pot was dug in along the outside of this building. Pests that sought a way along the walls of the building to a crack or crevice to gain access to the food supplies were effectively controlled in this way. There may have been bird nests under the eaves of the building, for example of sparrows or swallows. A young bird that fell out of the nest probably ended up in the mouse pot by chance.

Exhibition

Medieval gardens will blossom this summer in the atmospheric summer exhibition 'Medieval Gardens. Earthly Paradises in East and West' in the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden.

Visitors can enjoy stories about the medieval garden and its plants, herbs and floral splendor, from Europe to the Middle East. Vegetable and ornamental gardens are discussed, but also gardening in the Middle Ages, pleasure gardens, paradise as a garden and 'the garden in the house'On display are centuries-old illustrated manuscripts, herbaria, flower carpets, paintings and prints, excavated garden tools, tile tableaus and tableware with floral motifs.

The exhibition can be seen from May 2 to September 1, 2019.

Can full of vermin to Rijksmuseum exhibition

Effective

Mouse bones

Bycatch

Exhibition