LAURA I. KOOISTRA. Borderland farming: possibilities and limitations of farming in the Roman period and Early Middle Ages between the Rhine and Meuse. 401 pages, 70 illustrations, 67 tables. 1996. Assen: Van Gorcum; 90-232-3199-6 paperback Df.75.

Antiquity ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 71 (273) ◽  
pp. 773-774
Author(s):  
Richard Hingley
Keyword(s):  
Middle Ages ◽  
Roman Period ◽  
Early Middle Ages

scholarly journals Evolución de un sector costero durante la Alta Edad Media en el NW de la Península Ibérica

2015 ◽  
pp. 27-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebeca Tallón-Armada ◽  
Manuela Costa-Casais ◽  
Teresa Taboada Rodríguez
Keyword(s):  
Iberian Peninsula ◽  
Middle Ages ◽  
Salt Marshes ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Archaeological Site ◽  
Roman Period ◽  
Early Middle Ages ◽  
Ría De Vigo ◽  
Rosalia De Castro ◽  
Península Ibérica

En el presente trabajo se estudia la evolución de un tramo costero de la Ría de Vigo (NW de la península Ibérica) desde época romana hasta el siglo XVII, prestando particular atención a la Alta Edad Media. Desde el punto de vista arqueológico, la importancia del sector radica en la presencia de una salina de época romana, en uso desde los siglos II BC a III-IV AD, y su abandono para dar paso a la instauración de una iglesia y una necrópolis en la Alta Edad Media (a partir de los siglos IV-V AD). Se muestrearon, con alta resolución, tres secuencias edafo-sedimentarias y se analizaron diversas propiedades físico-químicas (pH, granulometría, contenido en C, N, S, P, Fe, As) y la composición mineralógica, con el fin de determinar la naturaleza de las distintas facies presentes, los procesos implicados y las causas asociadas. Los resultados indican modificaciones en la costa entre finales del periodo romano y comienzos de la Alta Edad Media, con unaevolución del medio desde una dinámica costera, con formaciones de marisma-lagoon costero, a una dinámica eólica, con dunas. Dicho cambio es coincidente con el cese de la explotación romana de sal y el inicio del periodo Frío Altomedieval. Estos resultados son similares a los encontrados en otros puntos de la Ría de Vigo. En los tres sectores comparados (Rosalía de Castro, Toralla y Hospital), a la par que se produce la progradación de las formaciones de marisma y duna, el uso antrópico del sector cambia. Aunque la pauta climática presenta un papel importante en la evolución de este sector, los cambios en la línea de costa que se detectan entre ambos periodos culturales pudo estar determinada también por causas socioecómicas. Evolution of a coastal area during the early Middle Ages in the NW of the Iberian Peninsula - This paper focuses on the evolution of a coastal stretch of the Ria de Vigo (NW Iberian Peninsula) during the early Middle Ages, which presents an important archaeological site with a roman salt mine. Salt exploitation in the Roman period ceased around the AD 3rd-5th centuries, and was followed by the establishment of a churcheand a cemetery during the Middle Ages. The properties (pH, grain size, C, N, S, P, Fe and As, and mineralogicalcomposition) of three pedo-sedimentary sequences were analysed in order to identify the different environmental changes that affected this sector. The results suggest signifcant changes occurred in the coast from the late Roman period (AD 3rth-5th centuries) into the early Middle Ages (AD 5th-6th centuries), with an evolution from a marine-continental dynamics, with formation of salt marshes, to a wind dynamics, with dune formations. This change is consistent with the abandonment of the Roman salt exploitation and the beginning of Cold Dark Ages. These results are similar to those found in other areas of the Ría de Vigo. In the three sectors compared (Rosalia de Castro, Toralla and Hospital) land use changed while the progradation of marsh and dune formations occurred. Although climate may have played a major role in the evolution of this sector, the changes in the coastline between the two cultural periods could be also related to socio-economic causes.

scholarly journals From the Light and into the Dark: the Transformation to the Early Middle Ages

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arrush Choudhary
Keyword(s):  
Roman Empire ◽  
Middle Ages ◽  
Roman Period ◽  
Rural Life ◽  
Early Middle Ages ◽  
Italian Peninsula ◽  
Mediterranean World ◽  
Decentralized Governance ◽  
The City ◽  
The Middle Ages

From a historic perspective, the period of Roman rule and the following Middle Ages are polar opposites. For most, the city of Rome and the Western Roman Empire represent a time of advancement for the Mediterranean world while the Middle Ages are viewed as a regression of sorts for Europe. The reasons explaining the underlying cause of this transition from the Western Roman Empire to the Middle Ages are numerous but this paper will specifically focus on the practices started by the Romans themselves and how they contributed to the rise of the Early Middle Ages on the Italian Peninsula. More specifically, economic turmoil and urbanization following the 3rd century crisis in the city of Rome laid the groundwork for social, legislative, and political changes that thread the path to the fundamental characteristics of the Middle Ages. Changing views of the city and the countryside, the construction of latifundia and villas, and the passing of legislation that restricted the rights of laborers, in addition to other transformations in late Rome, all contributed to the decentralized governance, rural life, and serfdom that are characteristic of the Middle Ages. Ultimately, the goal of this paper is to illustrate that despite the major differences that exist between the Roman period and the Middle Ages, the practices of the late Western Roman Empire were often directly carried over into the Middle Ages and, as a result, for one to truly understand the origins of the Middle Ages, it is essential to comprehend the traditions started by the late Romans.

scholarly journals Luxury tableware? Terra sigillata in the coastal region of the northern Netherlands

2020 ◽  
pp. 94-110
Author(s):  
Annet Nieuwhof ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Early Modern ◽  
Middle Ages ◽  
Coastal Region ◽  
Roman Period ◽  
Early Middle Ages ◽  
Local Elites ◽  
Spindle Whorls ◽  
Symbolic Value

With thousands of finds, Roman terra sigillata (TS) is a common find category in terp settlements of the Northern Netherlands. It is traditionally interpreted as luxury tableware of the local elites, who acquired it through their contacts with Romans, or who were able to buy it from traders who came to this area with their merchandise. This paper questions that interpretation. The reason is that the far majority of TS is found as sherds, which, despite their good recognisability, only rarely fit other sherds. Moreover, many of these sherds are worked or used in some way. They were made into pendants, spindle whorls and playing counters, or show traces of deliberate breakage and of use for unknown purposes. Such traces are found on 70–80% of the sherds. The meaning of TS hence seems to have been symbolic rather than functional. Rather than as luxury tableware, TS may have been valued for the sake of the material itself, and may have been imported as sherds rather than as complete vessels. A symbolic value also shows from its long-term use. Used or worked TS sherds from the 2nd and 3rd century AD are often found in finds assemblages that may be interpreted as ritual deposits, not only from the Roman Period but also from the early Middle Ages. There are striking parallels for such use in early modern colonial contexts. TS sherds may have been part of the diplomatic gifts by which the Romans attempted to keep peace north of the limes, or may even have been payments for local products. These sherds might thus be comparable to the trade beads of early-modern European colonial traders.

The Spatial Database of the TransFER project

2021 ◽  
pp. 248-251
Author(s):  
Tena Karavidović
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Analysis ◽  
Middle Ages ◽  
Late Antiquity ◽  
Spatial Database ◽  
Roman Period ◽  
Web Gis ◽  
Iron Production ◽  
Transfer Of Knowledge ◽  
Early Middle Ages ◽  
Drava River

This paper presents basic objectives and methods used to design the spatial database within the project ‘Iron production along the Drava River in the Roman period and the Middle Ages: Creation and transfer of knowledge, technologies, and goods’ (TransFER), funded by the Croatian Science Foundation (IP-06-2016-5047). The database has been conceived and implemented to facilitate spatial analysis based on the objectives of the research into iron production along the Drava River in Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. The selected data has been made accessible to the external user via the project’s webpage in the form of a Web-GIS browser.

THE FATE OF RURAL TEMPLES IN LATE ANTIQUITY AND THE CHRISTIANISATION OF THE COUNTRYSIDE

2004 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Béatrice Caseau
Keyword(s):  
Middle Ages ◽  
Late Antiquity ◽  
Religious Beliefs ◽  
Religious Life ◽  
Rural Landscape ◽  
Roman Period ◽  
Sacred Sites ◽  
Early Middle Ages ◽  
Byzantine Period ◽  
Early Byzantine

Throughout the Roman period the countryside was a landscape of sacred sites both monumental and natural. Rural temples were numerous and essential to the religious life of peasants and landowners. The fate of rural temples reveals something of the conflicting religious beliefs that were present in the rural landscape until the 6th c. Rural temples were among the first temples to be destroyed on some Christian estates, but in other places their power of attraction remained strong until the Early Middle Ages, even when they were in ruins. In the Early Byzantine period, however, temples were too visible, causing some Christians to lead expeditions against them. Convinced pagans searched for other, more remote, cult places to where they could maintain some form of pagan practice. These included inner sanctuaries inside their homes, or remote natural sites. Temple traditions were lost as a result.

scholarly journals Mineralogical Characterization of Slags from Oiola Site (Biscay) to Assess the Development in Bloomery Iron Smelting Technology from the Roman Period to the Early Middle Ages

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haizea Portillo-Blanco ◽  
Maria Cruz Zuluaga ◽  
Luis Angel Ortega ◽  
Ainhoa Alonso-Olazabal ◽  
Juanjo Cepeda-Ocampo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Middle Ages ◽  
Roman Period ◽  
Early Middle Ages ◽  
Mineralogical Characterization ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Iron Smelting ◽  
Textural Characterization ◽  
Mining Complex ◽  
Archeological Site

Oiola archeological site, located in the mining complex of La Arboleda (Biscay, North Spain) was an important iron smelting center from the Roman Period to the Early Middle Ages and even in more current times (19th-20th centuries). Tap-slags and some plano-convex slags were identified as smelting slags. Samples were analyzed by optical microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy coupled with electron-dispersive spectroscopy and Raman microspectroscopy to perform a mineralogical and textural characterization. Additionally, thermogravimetric and thermodiffraction analyses were carried out to determine furnace operating temperatures. The mineral assemblage reflects furnace cooling rates and temperatures and the addition of quartz as the main flux to decrease the melting temperature of the iron ore. The comparison of slags from the Roman Period and the Early Middle Age allows to observe changes in the pyrometallurgical process through time.

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