The Deventer systeem, or a classification system for lateand post-medieval ceramics and glass

The Deventer system is presently being widely used in the Netherlands and Belgium. It was formed and formulated at the end of 80-s of the 20 century as a standard method for the description of archeological finds that made it possible to compare finds from different parts of the Netherlands along with their archeological statistical treatment. The system allows creating an (ever expanding) reference collection of archeological ceramics and glass. The system’s principle is a code of an archeological find. The code consists of the following three factors: ware; form/function; type. Presently 4360 types are depicted by the Deventer system. They are being accumulated in a continually expanding catalogue that is actually a collection of archeological drawings with their specific number of type and reference to the first publication. There has been created also a catalogue of all publications in digital form, within the Deventer system (1989-2015). This last one is continually expanding as well. The article presents a general description of the ceramic material of the Netherlands in the Late Middle Ages and the Modern Age, more specifically, between 1275 and 1914. The paper presents, furthermore, the principles of publication of archeological finds according to the standards of the Deventer system.