German Description: Im Fruehjahr 1951 berichteten alle Zeitungen in den Niederlanden von einer international bedeutenden archäologischen Entdeckung: der Ausgrabung eines groáen fruehmittelalterlichen Gräberfeldes bei Rhenen in der Provinz Utrecht. Das Reihengräberfeld auf dem Donderberg umfasste mehr als 1100 Gräber, die vom vierten bis zum achten Jahrhundert datieren. Es wurden auf einer Gesamtfläche von etwa 1250m etwa 300 Brandbestattungen und 820 Körperbestattungen dokumentiert, darueber hinaus 14 Pferdegräber. Circa 830 Gräber enthielten Beigaben, insgesamt 3000 Objekte: davon ueber 850 Keramikgefäáe, Dutzende von Glasgefäáen, wie Becher und Schälchen, auáerdem Hunderte von Objekten die den Kategorien Schmuck, Perlen, Waffen und Werkzeuge zuzuordnen sind. Das Gräberfeld befand sich an der Westflanke einer Moräne, die im fruehen Mittelalter intensiv bewohnt und genutzt wurde. Der Donderberg war ein bedeutender Ort, den die Menschen ueber Jahrhunderte ihrer Bestattungsriten wegen immer wieder aufsuchten. In diesem Bereich hat die Gemeinschaft an der gleichen Stelle und nahezu in der gleichen Weise während vier Jahrhunderten - das entspricht etwa zwanzig Generationen - von etwa 375 bis 750 nach Chr. ihre Toten bestattet. Dieser Zeitraum umfasst den Übergang von der Spätantike ueber die Zeit der Merowinger/Franken bis zum Beginn des Christentums in den Niederlanden. Das Gräberfeld von Rhenen ist eine reiche Quelle fuer die Untersuchungen zu Kontinuität und Wandel in der Völkerwanderungszeit. Trotz der internationalen Aufmerksamkeit, die die Ausgrabungen im Jahre 1951 fanden, blieben die Funde aus Rhenen weitgehend auáerhalb des Blickfelds und fanden damit in vergleichenden Studien und Verbreitungskarten zumeist keine Beruecksichtigung. Genau sechzig Jahre nach der Ausgrabung dieses wichtigen, unweit der deutschen Grenze gelegenen Gräberfeldes sorgt der vorliegende wissenschaftliche Katalog endlich fuer eine vollständige Materialvorlage der Gräber vom Donderberg. English Description: In the spring of 1951 Dutch newspapers wrote about an archaeological discovery of international importance: the excavation of an enormous early medieval cemetery near Rhenen (province of Utrecht). This 'Reihengräberfeld', situated on the 'Donderberg', contained over 1100 graves that were dated between the fourth and eighth century A.D. Around 830 graves contained artefacts including over 850 ceramic pots, numerous fragments of glass objects and hundreds of pieces of jewellery, pearls, arms and tools. This extensive catalogue, describing all 1100 graves separately, is the first publication of this extraordinary archaeological site.

The catalogue focuses on the entire non-numismatic contents of the Cuerdale hoard (discovered in 1840), together with all the other hoards and single-finds of gold and silver artefacts (ornaments and ingots) of Viking character in the British Museum, found in Britain and Ireland, up to the end of the year 2000, with each piece individually catalogued and illustrated. There is also a full chapter discussing the coins from Cuerdale, together with summary descriptions. Written by the leading authority on the subject, James Graham-Campbell is Emeritus Professor of Medieval Archaeology, University College London and a Fellow of the British Academy. This catalogue complements both that by D. M. Wilson on the Anglo-Saxon Ornamental Metalwork, 700-1100, in the British Museum (London, 1964) and that by James Graham-Campbell on The Viking-Age Gold and Silver of Scotland (AD 850-1100) (Edinburgh, 1995).

The two volumes of "The Archaeology of Medieval Europe" together comprise the first complete account of Medieval Archaeology across the continent. This ground-breaking set will enable readers to track the development of different cultures and regions over the 800 years that formed the Europe we have today. In addition to revealing the process of Europeanisation, within its shared intellectual and technical inheritance, the complete work provides an opportunity for demonstrating the differences that were inevitably present across the continent -- from Iceland to Sicily and Portugal to Finland.

Novgorod is one of the most intensively and continuously studied urban sites in northern Europe. The excellent preservation of organic and inorganic material in its anaerobic soils, including the structural remains of streets, properties and buildings, has made it possible to study entire quarters of the town as well as the activities of its inhabitants. With deposits up to 8 m deep in places and with well-dated sequences from the early to mid-10th century, its importance to the study of both medieval Russia and the development of Europe cannot be over emphasised. This publication series presents some of the recent results obtained from international, multidisciplinary projects into the origins and development of the medieval town and its hinterland. Previous volumes have concerned the pottery (2006) and wood use (2007); a forthcoming volume will publish research into animals. The Archaeology of Medieval Novgorod in Context includes papers on aspects of the environmental and technological context of the relationship between urban centre and rural hinterland. It begins by examining the environmental context for the settlement pattern that developed from the 9th to 15th centuries and examining the role that various natural resources had in contributing to that pattern. After a general paper on the natural environment based on a recent palynological study, it presents data from three study areas (the first in the Byeloozero area to the northeast of Novgorod; the second in the immediate hinterland of Novgorod and the third within Novgorod itself). It considers what, where and how certain natural resources were exploited during the medieval period in these areas. Where possible, it also attempts to explain the processes by which these resources were produced as commodities (via craft production, centralised workshops, household production, specialised settlements, etc.) and place the evidence from the three other volumes on ceramics, wood use and zooarchaeology into a wider context, concentrating on the exploitation, manufacture and consumption of these and other materials. Whilst not definitive, the collection aims to be a starting point for attempting to put Novgorod into a wider context of the medieval world.

Dutch description: Het rijengrafveld op de Donderberg bij Rhenen (provincie Utrecht) is de grootste, langst gebruikte en mogelijk rijkste vroegmiddeleeuwse begraafplaats van Nederland. Het bevatte ruim 1100 graven uit de vierde tot en met achtste eeuw na Chr.: circa 300 crematies, 820 lijkbegravingen en 14 paardengraven. Uit de grafkuilen zijn meer dan 3000 voorwerpen geborgen, die zich nu in het Rijksmuseum van Oudheden te Leiden bevinden. Ze vormen opvallend rijke collecties sieraden, kralen, glaswerk, keramiek (meer dan 850 stuks), wapens, werktuigen en hergebruikt Romeins materiaal. Landschappelijk bevindt het grafveld zich op de oostelijke punt van een stuwwal, die ook andere vroegmiddeleeuwse vondsten opleverde, waaronder een goudschat en een muntschat, maar ook rijke prehistorische graven. Op de Donderberg hebben mensen hun doden op hetzelfde terrein en op min of meer dezelfde wijze begraven tussen circa 375 en 750 na Chr., omgerekend zo'n twintig generaties lang. Deze periode omvat de overgang van de Laat-Romeinse tijd naar die van Friezen, Franken, Saksen en de introductie van het christendom. Maar is er iets van die 'etiketten' terug te vinden in de begravingen? Het Rhenense grafveld werd in het voorjaar van 1951 opgegraven. Hoewel wetenschappers, pers en publiek direct het belang van de vondst inzagen, bleef de Donderberg ongepubliceerd. Dit boekje is het resultaat van het Odyssee-project 'Reviving Rhenen', samen met een wetenschappelijke catalogus en een tentoonstelling in Museum Het Rondeel in Rhenen. Samen brengen ze dit omvangrijke vroegmiddeleeuwse complex over het voetlicht, precies zestig jaar na de ontdekking ervan. English Description: The early medieval cemetery situated on the 'Donderberg' near Rhenen (province of Utrecht) is the largest of its kind in the Netherlands. It contained over 1100 graves that were dated between the fourth and eighth century A.D. This book provides insight into the nature of this site and the people that were buried here. Over 3000 artefacts were discovered including ceramic and glass, and also many pieces of magnificent jewellery. Beautiful photographs illustrate this story intended for a broad audience.

Castles, both ruined and occupied, are amongst the most deeply evocative buildings in the Scottish landscape. This book considers the history of the conservation and restoration of a number of those buildings against the background of what the idea of the castle has meant to Scots over the centuries. The authors draw on their extensive knowledge of castles across Scotland, as well as on their practical experience in advising on recent conservation and restoration projects. They begin by briefly considering the history of castles and by exploring their role in Scottish society, before moving on to consider the ways in which they were absorbed within later building complexes as domestic requirements and social aspirations changed. A series of detailed case studies then examines the issues surrounding the conservation and restoration of castles in modern times, which it is hoped will be of value for everyone with an interest in castles, including those who might be considering undertaking work on one.

Ductch Description:In de Vroege Middeleeuwen maakte het kustgebied van Zuid-Holland deel uit van West-Friesland. Van menselijke aanwezigheid in deze periode getuigen niet alleen enkele historische bronnen en oude plaatsnamen, maar vooral archeologische vondsten. Dit boek geeft voor het eerst een gedetailleerd overzicht van de bewoningsgeschiedenis van de estuaria van de Oude Rijn en Maas tussen circa 270 en 900 na Chr. , met tal van nieuwe inzichten. Door de rijkdom aan archeologische gegevens ligt de nadruk op de Oude Rijnstreek. Aan de hand van hoofdstukken over het toenmalige landschap, archeologische vindplaatsen, nederzettingen, huisbouwtraditie en handelscontacten, wordt gekeken welke plaats Zuid-Holland op cultureel en politiek vlak innam ten opzichte van de omliggende gebieden. Daarbij wordt ook ingegaan op de vraag naar de tribale verhoudingen langs de Hollandse kust en wat het etiket 'Fries' daarbij voorstelt. Dit heeft ook gevolgen voor onze kijk op het Friese koninkrijk. Menno Dijkstra (Lisse, 1971) studeerde in 1996 af aan het Instituut voor Pre- en Protohistorie van de Universiteit van Amsterdam, met als specialisatie de archeologie van de Middeleeuwen en Nieuwe tijd. In 1997 begon zijn promotieonderzoek bij het Frisia Project. Dit proefschrift is daar het resultaat van. Momenteel is hij werkzaam als senior archeoloog. English Description: Menno Dijkstra has attempted to reconstruct the habitation history of the western Netherlands (Zuid-Holland) between 270 and 900 A.D. In this book he analyses landscape, archaeological sites, settlements, building traditions and connections through trade. This book sheds new light on Zuid-Holland in the early Medieval period and might change our view of the Frisian kingdom.

In the 1470s, one of the most innovative artists working in Bruges illuminated a Book of Hours for Jean Carpentin, lord of Gravile and prominent citizen of Normandy. Known as the Master of the Dresden Prayer Book after one of his other masterpieces, this artist and members of his workshop enriched the pages of Carpentin’s manuscript with miniatures, historiated initials and boldly colored borders in which human figures, monsters and monkeys are framed by twisting branches of acanthus.

Life in Medieval Landscapes presents new studies on key themes in the economic and social history of the medieval landscape. The book draws together papers by medieval historians and archaeologists, with contributions by leading scholars in each field. The first part explores the nature of landscape regions in Britain and Ireland. Chapters explore the use and experience of different types of landscapes including marshlands, uplands, woodland and woodpasture. The papers analyse a wide variety of sources from detailed archival work on medieval records to place-names, archaeological survey and the study of veteran trees. A particular theme in several papers is the exploration of social, economic and spatial marginality. The second part presents new studies of labour and lordship. The contributions focus on medieval England, including aspects of the land market before the Black Death, the organisation of village communities, and how changing settlements related to demography and occupations. There is a particular focus on understanding the lives of peasants and labourers. The main themes of the book reflect the interests of Professor Harold Fox, whose death in 2007 was marked by a number of conferences in different parts of the UK. The papers in this volume have been offered by Harold's colleagues, friends and former research students as a tribute to his work. They showcase some of the best research in the fields of medieval landscape and social history. Contributors include Chris Dyer, Bruce Campbell, Andrew Fleming, Della Hooke, Jem Harrison, Ros Faith, Peter Herring, Mark Gardiner, Angus Winchester, Andrew Jackson, Alan Fox, Mark Page, Mike Thompson, Mike Thornton, Matt Tompkins, Penelope Upton and Richard Jones.

The San Vincenzo Project began in 1980 as a collaboration with the Soprintendenza Archaeologica del Molise. Its initial focus was the small frescoed crypt of 'San Lorenzo' (later known as the Crypt Church), which was in urgent need of conservation. Over the following eighteen years, a large multidisciplinary project was undertaken involving archaeologists, historians and art historians. This consisted of major open-area excavations of the early medieval monastery, of which the celebrated crypt proved to be a modest funerary oratory at the northern limits of the site. The project also involved a study of settlement history in the Upper Volturno valley. This book presents the finds of this excavation.

The Viking Age was a period of great economic complexity and experimentation in Scandinavia. By the end of the period, an ancient 'display' economy, based on ornaments of precious metal, had been largely replaced by counted money and national coinages. But this development was neither simple nor linear: for much of the Viking Age, several silver economies co-existed and interacted. The role of silver in Viking-age society and economy has recently developed into an exciting interdisciplinary topic for research. New evidence raises debates on the nature of valuables, bullion, monetisation, commodity money, and early urban trade. This book brings together an international group of archaeologists, historians and numismatists to draw a balance sheet of current research. Based on a symposium held in Aarhus, Denmark in 2008, it provides a structured basis for comparison, combining regional overviews with case-studies of significant sites or hoards. The book is dedicated to Dr Mark Blackburn (1953-2011) in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Viking-age numismatics and monetary history.

In this third volume deriving from the excavations of the Viking town of Kaupang of 2000-2003, a range of artefacts is presented along with a discussion of the town's inhabitants: their origins, activities and trading connexions. The main categories of artefact are metal jewellery and ornaments, gemstones, vessel glass, pottery, finds of soapstone, whetstones and textile-production equipment. The artefacts are described and dated, and their areas of origin discussed. The volume is lavishly illustrated. An exceptional wealth and diversity of artefacts distinguishes sites such as Kaupang from all other types of site in the Viking World. Above all, they reflect the fact that a large population of some 400-600 people lived closely together in the town, engaged in a comprehensive range of production and trade. The stratigraphically distinct layers from the first half of the 9th century allow us to put precise dates to the finds, and to the buildings and evidence of activities associated with them.

This final report describes the study of an exceptionally well-preserved Iron Age building discovered in northern Burkina Faso, West Africa. The site of Oursi hu-beero, meaning "the big house of Oursi" in the locally spoken Songhay language, was excavated in 2000 and 2001 by a scientific team from the universities of Frankfurt am Main and Ouagadougou. It is situated in the middle of a group of settlement mounds, nearby the modern village of Oursi. In the year 2000, deep erosion gullies were threatening the architectural remains on the surface, which were provisionally dated to the 10th century AD. Scholars from both universities saw the importance of this site and undertook immediate action. But even they were not prepared for what they uncovered under only one metre of destruction debris. The rich diversity of incredible finds in the 25 different rooms rendered their exposure of enormous importance for the archaeology and history of Burkina Faso. Complete storage jars, metal equipment, wooden furniture, rope and textile fragments, grinding stones and charred botanical remains are only a fraction of the total assemblage of finds. Although we are dealing with the results of a single occupation phase and from one building only, the density of finds, the preservation of the architecture and the absence of later disturbances add considerably to our understanding of daily life in this part of West Africa. Up to now the limited contextual information about life in villages and towns prior to the historical periods has promoted divergent and weakly argued interpretations. This volume breaks open new grounds of investigation and calls for further study. Additionally, the editors hope that this report will stimulate and encourage the discussion between historians and archaeologists of the fascinating West African past. The current volume presents an introduction to the expedition, an analysis of the site formation processes, the presentation of the architectural features, in-depth studies of the findings and a lively account of the heritage management project that resulted in an on-site museum. Nine authors contributed to this rich and multifaceted final report. The account of the construction, intensive use, violent destruction and subsequent rediscovery of the building is the enthralling subject of this volume, which is richly illustrated with numerous coloured drawings, photographs, maps and reconstruction drawings. It melds archaeological, historical and environmental data into a thrilling story. A story that reads like a new Crime Scene Investigation episode but happens to have been a real-life tragedy in the African Sahel almost 1,000 years ago.

Excavations in 2006-8 by MOLA on the site of St Giles Court, on the north side of St Giles High Street, Camden, illustrate the development of this London suburb from the medieval period to the early 20th century. Located opposite the parish church of the former medieval leper hospital of St Giles-in-the-Fields, the site was open ground and gardens until the mid-16th century when residential houses were built along the High Street. St Giles was at the heart of London suburban expansion by the mid-17th century. At this time it was a relatively prosperous district, with houses lining the main streets and businesses developing behind, including the Eagle and Child and Hampshire Hog inns. The numerous objects recovered indicate a varied standard of living among the inhabitants. By the late 18th century the reputation of the St Giles area and its housing had declined and the site lay within the southern core of the area known as the "Rookery" - a notorious late 18th- and 19th-century slum. However, this study reveals that the area's image may not be entirely matched by reality: it found evidence of contrasting lifestyles, households and businesses in this period, including a prosperous family brewery, before the area eventually lost its residential character and became almost purely commercial.

Southampton was one of England's leading medieval ports, with its trade in commodities such as wine, wool and cloth making it among the most prosperous and cosmopolitan towns in the country during the 13th and 15th centuries. From the late Saxon period, the heart of the city lay between two streets, English Street and French Street, an area known as the 'French Quarter'. A major new investigation of this area revealed an impressive series of medieval buildings with vaulted cellars, containing rare and exotic finds. The most significant building, Polymond's Hall, was home to notable residents such as the Venetian Consul in the 15th century and poet and the hymn writer Isaac Watts in the 18th century. This book uses new evidence from the extensive excavations, along with in-depth analysis of the documentary records, to revisit many ongoing debates on the origins and development of Southampton. It shows how the medieval tenements evolved from late Saxon urban estates, and how the dynamics of international trade and diplomacy shaped the changing fortunes of the city.