Studies on pollen and leather in ice, salt and peat; a tribute to Willy Groenman-van Waateringe (1933–2025)

On 20 February 2025 Willy Groenman-van Waateringe (1933–2025) died at the age of 92. She was an emeritus Professor of Ecological Prehistory in the Faculty of Environmental Sciences at the University of Amsterdam. She studied biology at the University of Amsterdam and was trained in palynology at the University of Groningen focussing especially on the period from the Neolithic to the Middle Ages. Her dissertation focussed on the finds from the Roman fort at Valkenburg near Leiden. She pioneered how pollen analysis can be applied to the analysis of archaeological leatherwork and she developed into an international acknowledged specialist in the use of leather by former societies. Willy was involved in the study of the Ötzi iceman found in the Italian-Austrian border area, making a major contribution to our understanding how late Stone Age people were equipped and lived. Her knowledge of palynology paved the way for the development of ecological archaeology where she showed herself keen to implement methods from related disciplines such as biology, physics and genetics. In her approach to science she remained open to new evidence and new challenges, a character trait that served her well in management tasks in academia where settings continuously changed. She was faculty dean and vice-rector of the University of Amsterdam. Willy studied the borders of the Roman Empire (limes) and contributed much to the regular international limes congresses. She published over 200 articles. For 14 PhD students she was an inspiring supervisor. The explorative career of professor Willy Groenman-van Waateringe is described. Pollen analysis boosted archaeological narratives. Initial progress in archaeological leather studies are shown. A list of publications by Willy Groenman-van Waateringe is included.