Theme:
6. Embedded in European archaeology: the Carpathian Basin
Session format:
Regular session
Title:
The Mongol Invasion of Central and Eastern Europe: Archaeological and Historical Interpretations
Content:
The Mongol invasion of 1237–42 is among the key formative episodes in Central and Eastern Europe and has long been considered a threshold dividing periods in the development of Russia, Poland, Bohemia, Croatia and Hungary. States of the Balkan Peninsula were also affected by raids and military invasions of the Mongol army and major migration processes were initiated as a result of these military campaigns. A new project has been launched aimed at the research of these events, and it is focused on the short-, middle- and long-term impact of the Mongol invasion of Hungary in its Eurasian context.
This session is organized to present comparative studies in Central and Eastern Europe. Historical and archaeological research have consistently engaged with the topic since the mid-nineteenth century, discussing not only the events themselves, but the reasons for them and their greater historical consequences. During the last two decades, a large quantity of new data has emerged from the field of archaeology. The first significant archaeological excavations were connected to motorway construction, but later these discoveries were followed up by targeted investigations. The new archaeological data has been intensively discussed in Central and Eastern European scholarly circles, but it has not been represented in the recent discussions on the archaeology of the Mongol Empire.
The main aim of this session is to present new data representing different branches of archaeological research (battlefields, settlements, burial sites, material culture, etc.) and to discuss interpretations connected to the catastrophic events. Important research questions such as population movements, settlement desertion, nucleation and urbanization processes will be presented together with various interpretational frameworks of archaeological and historical research. Papers presenting methodological aspects of the short-term changes detected by archaeology and their historical interpretations will also comprise some of the topics of the session.
Keywords:
mongol empire, conflict archaeology, invasion, migration
Session associated with MERC:
yes
Session associated with CIfA:
no
Session associated with SAfA:
no
Session associated with CAA:
no
Session associated with DGUF:
no
Session associated with other:
Main organiser:
Stephen Pow (Canada) 1
Co-organisers:
József Laszlovszky (Hungary) 1
Affiliations:
1. Central European University
THIS SESSION CAN NOT BE SELECTED AT THIS MOMENT