Sklářský výrobní okruh z 2. poloviny 13. století u Jilmové v Krušných horách Přínos analytických metod pro poznání technologie výroby středověkého skla v Čechách / The glass production area near Jilmová in the Ore Mountains from the second half of the 13th century The contribution of analytical methods for studying glass production technology in medieval Bohemia

The study contains the latest knowledge concerning glass production at the beginning of the High Middle Ages in one of the oldest glass production areas in the Ore Mountains consisting of three glassworks located in the upper reaches of the mountains. The work presents archaeological sources obtained in excavations at the Jilmová I, II and III sites, with attention being focused on finds specific to glass production centres, i.e., mainly fragments of technical ceramics – melting pots, crucibles and the waste accompanying various stages of glass production. The classic typological­morphological analysis is accompanied by a detailed archaeometric analysis. The results of spectrometric analyses (XRF, XRD, SEM–EDS and LA–ICP–MS) expand the informative value of archaeological finds and help refine existing knowledge of glass production technology in the second half of the 13th century.

The Peace of God

Scholars have argued that the politically fractured landscape of medieval Western Europe was foundational to the evolution of constitutionalism and rule of law. In making this argument, Salter and Young (2019) have recently emphasized that the constellation of political property rights in the High Middle Ages was polycentric and hierarchical; holders of those rights were residual claimants to the returns on their governance and sovereign. The latter characteristics—residual claimancy and sovereignty—imply a clear delineation of jurisdictional boundaries and their integrity. However, historians’ description of the “feudal anarchy” that followed the tenth-century disintegration of the Carolingian Empire does not suggest clearly delineated and stable boundaries. In this paper, I highlight the role of the Peace of God movement in the 11th and 12th centuries in delineating and stabilizing the structure of political property rights. In terms of historical political economy, the Peace of God movement provides an important link between the early medieval era and the constitutional arrangements of the High Middle Ages.

Výsledky záchranného archeologického výzkumu na předhradí hradu Tepence v letech 1971–1975

The present study evaluates the medieval component of a rescue excavation carried out in the outer bailey of Tepenec Castle in 1971–1975. The castle, built during the 1330s–40s, ceased to exist due to war events in the early 15th century. A trench intersected the whole area of the fortified complex transversely from the northwest to the southeast (855 sqm). Two remnants of buildings dated to the High Middle Ages were partially examined. An assemblage of pottery and metal finds makes it possible to date both structures – mainly to the second half of the 14th and the early 15th centuries. The built-up area of the outer bailey cannot be considered a lower castle town but rather the so-called “latrán”.

Abelard and Heloise: personal relationship in the socio-cultural context of the 12th century

The 12th century was a controversial period of deepening ecclesiastical influence on all strata of the population, strengthening church prohibitions, expansion of convents; the century of establishing a new stratum of intellectuals, the first rise of women role in society and the formation of the courtly culture’s foundations. Philosopher Peter Abelard and his student Heloise were chosen for examination by us as the bright personalities of the 12th century, a product of medieval society and the voices of their time. An exceptional historical case of well-documented reliable information on the personal relationship allows us to correlate the world-view of lovers and their lives with the socio-cultural realities of High Middle Ages. The aim of the article is a historical analysis of the relationship between the philosopher-teacher Abelard and the student Eloise in the socio-cultural context of the 12th century. In previous studies scholars have only indirectly touched certain aspects of the teacher-student relationship in the context of intimate gender relations of the High Middle Ages. We analysed the autobiography of Peter Abelard, the letters of Abelard’s contemporaries, his correspondence with Eloise. We arranged scientific achievements of historians and examined personal life of the couple against the background: tactics of seduction, intimacy, determining and understanding the relationship status, men’s standing in society after castration. Emphasis is placed on the progress of 12th century’s social consciousness in the light of the personalities’ world-view analysis. A division between individual views and the Catholic medieval outlook is analysed. Through the study of the transformation of the relationship between teacher and student, and future lovers, we have shown that the views of Eloise and Abelard illustrate a feasible range of medieval perceptions of the relationship, in tune with the new era challenges, yet integral to its time.

Hvordan endret byggeskikken seg på Borg? En analyse av fire utvalgte hus på Borg, Vestvågøy fra yngre jernalder til høymiddelalder

The purpose of the analysis was to highlight how the building tradition at Borg, Lofoten, Norway, changed from the Late Iron Age to the High Middle Ages. The construction elements such as roof-bearing posts, doorways, fireplaces, walls, and room divisions were compared between Borg I:1a, Borg I:1b, Borg II and Borg III. The results of the analyses emphasized that the building tradition at Borg changed in regard to house construction, size of the buildings and the division of rooms. The residents of Borg traditionally built longhouses with combined living room and byre from approx. 600 AD to the year 1300 AD. It is argued that limited access to local resources, such as timber, led to the residents retaining much of the same building tradition for approx. 700 years.

6. Empress of heaven and hell

‘Empress of heaven and hell’ recounts how the Virgin Mary came into her own during Europe’s High Middle Ages. Between 1150 and 1250, over 80 cathedrals and 500 churches were erected in honour of the Virgin Mary. There were a variety of factors that contributed to the explosion of Marian devotion in medieval and Renaissance spirituality. For example, Mary’s intercession with Christ acquired new urgency with a change in expectations about the soul’s fate after death. Related to this was belief in Mary’s Assumption, which is examined in light of theology and art. Mary’s place in medieval anti-Judaism is also worth considering. Historian Henry Adams’s description of medieval Marian energy carried over into the Renaissance, when Jesus’s humanity, based on Mary’s motherhood, became the touchstone for the humanist temper of the age.

The High Middle Ages, 1100–1350

This chapter deals with the richly documented high medieval period, in which we can trace the landscape and economy of the hundred in very considerable detail. The nature of settlements and agriculture is set out, including the strong contrast between vale and Chiltern communities. The chapter includes a map of the hundred’s landscape in 1300, as well as the first of a series of maps of parish fields and field names. The chapter argues that this period saw an increasing divergence between the vale and the Chiltern parts of the hundred in terms of population, settlement patterns, and everyday life. The implications for perceptions are explored through an analysis of open and closed space in different settlements, and the period’s many and rich field names and peasant bynames.