Session: #316

Theme & Session Format

Theme:
2. [Re]integration
Session format:
Regular session

Title & Content

Title:
Small Objects Reflecting Great Changes
Content:
Middle Ages may be described as an epoch of continuous changes in respect of political power, social and cultural settings, some of them pronounced, some barely palpable. Among such changes, one could mention the formation of states, the adoption of a new religion, or the introduction of new agrarian and industrial technologies. Transition periods comprise key events in the life of a population and have always been of particular interest. The exact ways of transformations, the spatial and chronological context may be highlighted with archaeological methods.
Material culture stands at the base of our session proposal. We can use medieval artifacts as instruments for tracking social, cultural, or economical transformations. This session is aimed to discuss and explore the effects of political and cultural changes at the level of objects. How much time does it take to change behavior or beliefs? How did fashion or ideology affect everyday life? How do people adapt to changes? How can an idea materialize? Are there environmental changes, only the objects can tell?
Processing of new excavation materials, typology-based studies, comments on metal detector finds are particularly welcome from all across the European Continent covering the periods of the High and Late Middle Ages.
Keywords:
material culture, transition periods, metal detector finds, typology
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:

Organisers

Main organiser:
Tibor Rácz (Hungary) 1
Co-organisers:
Anastasia Fedorina (Russia) 2
Affiliations:
1. Ferenczy Museum Centre
2. -