The Yesse monastery: Metal finds from 2017 and 2018. The female Cistercian monastery at Yesse (1215–1594), situated on what is today the southern edge of city of Groningen (province of Groningen), has recently experienced increased archaeological interest in its history and inhabitants. In addition to ceramic, botanical and zooarchaeological finds, metal objects reflect economic activities as well as activities of daily life which, at first glance, may not present the sobriety of monastic life. On the contrary, they tell of (supra-)regional trade, craftsmanship, metalworking, administrative duties, and the presence of books, that allowed the convent to flourish and become an important economic actor. While the reconstruction of the cloister lay-out on the basis of metal finds is not conclusive, the find locations of specific objects seem to indicate that Yesse followed the classic pattern of Cistercian cloisters, with a secular western side and a religious eastern side.
