Tjalling Waterbolk

Harm Tjalling "Tjalling" Waterbolk (18 May 1924 – 27 September 2020) was a Dutch archaeologist. He was a professor of archaeology and director of the Biological-Archaeological Institute at the University of Groningen between 1954 and 1987.

Waterbolk was known for his interdisciplinary approach and combined his work in archaeology with insights in nature and landscapes. He worked in a wide variety of countries, but had special interest in the Northern part of the Netherlands and especially his home province of Drenthe.

Early life Waterbolk was born on 18 May 1924 in Havelte. His father Albert was the municipal clerk (Dutch: gemeentesecretaris) of Havelte. From an early age Waterbolk had an interest in nature, with this interest being supported by his parents, teachers and townspeople of Havelte. In 1942 he became a member of the during his youth, which further strengthened his interest in nature. Waterbolk attended the University of Groningen to study biology and later botany. During this period he familiarized himself with phytosociology through mentor Victor Westhoff. Only in 1945 he became familiarized with archaeology when he met Albert Egges van Giffen, who was looking for someone with knowledge of palynology.

Waterbolk was elected a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1970.

Tjerk Vermaning case Waterbolk was known for his involvement in surfacing the archaeological forgery case of Tjerk Vermaning of the 1960s and 1970s. In the 1960s Vermaning stated that he had found stone tools, which were dated back to thousands of years by Waterbolk. Vermaning was subsequently prosecuted for forgery and fraud. He was first convicted and on appeal acquitted. It also did not leave Waterbolk without criticism, especially whether he could have surfaced the forgeries at an earlier stage.

Personal life In 2015 the book Werk van Eeuwen by Jos Bazelmans en Jan Kolen, describing conversations with Waterbolk was published. In 2019, at age 95, he published his autobiography, Veranderend leven.

Waterbolk was married to a botanical analyst, he met his wife at the Nederlandse Jeugdbond voor Natuur.