About

Who I am

I'm Jonas, a recognised metal detectorist from the Zuiderkempen. I prefer to search close to home, in my own region.

I got my love of history from my grandfather. He was a teacher and wrote about, and helped with, many projects on the history of his region. Without really noticing it, I have followed a little in his footsteps.

History and data

In everyday life I'm a data engineer, so my passion is not only history but also data. Finding something is only half the story: afterwards I document every find, identify it and compare it with old maps.

That way every coin, button or buckle becomes a data point, and together they say something about everyday life in our region through the centuries: farming, hunting and the world wars. Mapping that and then showing it to others gives me a lot of energy. It feels like I become a small part of that history myself.

Working with others

I don't do metal detecting on my own. I work together with farmers, landowners, municipalities and heritage organisations in the region. I like showing them what was hidden under their land, and I hope to contribute a little to our local history that way.