For centuries, the Land of Dendermonde and the Land of Waas were inextricably linked to flax cultivation and processing. The region enjoyed an excellent reputation in the textile sector, thanks in part to a unique retting method used to extract fibers from the flax plant. This process took place in small, stagnant water bodies, the so-called flax retting pits, which were scattered across the landscape.
Lies Vervaet, a collaborator of the Regional Landscape Schelde-Durme and former researcher at Ghent University, sheds new light on this nearly forgotten heritage. Through interviews with the last witnesses and an in-depth study of historical maps and archival sources – including agricultural censuses from LOKSTAT – she brings the significance of these retting pits back into focus. Not only did they play a crucial role in the regional economy, but they also offer opportunities today for biodiversity, water management, and heritage preservation.
Publication:
Lies Vervaet, Stille waters: vlasrootputten in het Land van Dendermonde en het Land van Waas. Die Keure, 2024, 200 p.
DETAILS
Database used: LOKSTAT
Date: December 2024
Category: Scientific Publication