Endless seals imprinted on wax! Countless pieces of parchment, neatly stacked. We tend to value these leftovers from the Middle Ages for their content. Matthew Collins sees aDNA.
Category: Medieval Research
Did Climate Change Foster the Decline and Fall?
The story of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is incresingly considered as a reflection of 4thcentury widespread draughts on the Eurasian Steppes, the wanderings of the Huns, and the forced migration of the Germans.
Islamic Towers from the 12th century in Sierra de Segura near Jaen in Spain
In the 11thand 12thcenturies small “husun”, tiny castles and enclosures with towers, came to dominate the border region between western and eastern Andalusia. Since 2003, a project has worked to study and preserve these towers.
The History of Forests in Southwestern Sweden
Since the Ice receded for more than 10.000 years, the landscape north of Halmsad in Sweden has changed from a cold Steppe to an ancient forest. New research traces the different phases and explains how the forest at Almeberget looks much like it did at the beginning of the vendel period, c. 500
News about Ribe, an Early Medieval Emporium from the 8th Century
Ribe was the earliest emporium in Early Medieval Denmark. At the cusp of the Viking Age, the town played a significant role. But when was it founded? By whom? And for what reason? Renewed excavations this summer brought us closer to an answer.
Stevns – Home of Hrodgar and Heorot?
Stevns is a peninsula in South Eastern Zeeland in Denmark. Flat, although it raises towards the east, where it breaks into the sea in the form of high cliffs, it has recently been suggested as the location for Heorot, the hall of Hrodgar, and the home of Grendel. What did it look like in the 6th to 10th century?
Kinship and Culture in an Alemannic Burial Ground from the early 7th century
In 1962 an Alemannic graveyard in Niederstotzingen in Southern Germany was discovered and excavated. The graves of thirteen individuals – ten male adults and three infants - were buried with an array of inscribed horse gear, jewellery, arms and swords. In the graveyard, the archaeologists also found three horses buried.
The Royal Complex of Scone from the 10th century
Scone is best known for the Stone of Scone, also known as the Stone of Destiny or the Stone of Coronation. Less well known is that Scone was the primary ceremonial and legislative gathering place in Scotland. Recently, the results from extensive archaeological excavations were published.
Genetic Perspective on the Bavarians from the Migration period
Recently the human remains from 41 graves from six early medieval cemeteries in Southern Bavaria yielded genomic data showing that while men generally had ancestry resembling northern or central Europeans, the women exhibited a very high genetic heterogeneity.
The Genetics of Longobard-Era Migrations
For some time an international and interdisciplinary group of archaeologists, scientists, and historians have worked to uncover the minutiae of the Longobard invasion of Italy in AD 568. Genetic explorations are shedding extremely important new light on the linkage between genetics and cultural profiles.
Migration, integration and cultural consolidation are the new buzzwords in archaeology
Is a shift in “culture” the result of local evolutions or the meeting up of people? And how does such “meetings” play out culturally? Since the “invention” of new archaeology, this question has caused multiple controversies among archaeologists as well as historians. New aDNA studies lead the way to document the actual character of migratory movements.
Migration and Dialects in Northern Europe before and after the Migration Period
From the fourth to the 7thcenturies, the Germanic Languages underwent a series of rapid shifts, when the language split into a number of dialects. A new study maps the geographical routes along which these dialects spread.
Cherven Towns – a Medieval Polish Settlement from the 10th century.
Cherven Towns was a fortified settlement located on the frontier between Lesser Poland and Rus (Ruthenia). Fought over since at least the late 10thcentury, archaeological explorations of the region was hampered by the two world wars. Only recently a more scientific exploration has been undertaken.
New Research into the Black Death
Was the plague brought to people by rats or human lice? How severely did the pestilence strike? What may we learn from modern epidemics? New research shed light on some old conundrums.
Network Analysis of the Battle of Clontarf in 1014
Network analysis of the Viking Age in Ireland as portrayed in Cogadh Gaedhel re Gallaibh reveals the cultural difference between Vikings and the Irish
How Devastating was the Black Death?
New studies of the levels of atmospheric lead as evidenced by icecores drilled from an Alpine Glacier lets scientists gauge the devastating effects of the Black Death on Economy and Society. It appears all ground to a halt.