Boerderijen met rieten daken c. 1780 - 1800

Barend Hendrik Thier sketched these "Farms with thatched roofs" with pen in gray inkwash around the 18th century. Dominating these modest rural buildings are the thatched roofs, an ancient form of roofing made from dry vegetation. Thatching is the oldest known roofing technique; examples of its use can be traced back to the Neolithic period in Europe, signaling a primal connection to shelter and home. We see it echoed in varied forms across cultures – from the yurts of Central Asia to the grass huts of Africa. The thatched roof, imbued with agrarian simplicity, touches on deep-seated human emotions. It is not merely a shelter, but a cultural emblem that has been used to provide a sense of security, community, and continuity that endures even now.