Abstract
Soil micromorphology, a method that analyzes undisturbed soils and sediments in thin section using petrographic microscopes, has proven a useful tool for the study of archaeological sites. In particular, this geoarchaeological method is suitable for tackling a number of questions that are recurrent in research on early medieval towns and are often difficult to study with other methods. The starting point of the research that prompted this paper was to evaluate how micromorphology can enhance our understanding of issues such as the origins, functions and organisation of towns, and daily life and living conditions within them. This contribution explores a selection of themes to which micromorphology has effectively contributed in the research of towns of the 8th to 10th century AD, illustrated with examples from Kaupang (Norway) and Antwerp (Belgium).
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Objects, Environment, and Everyday Life in Medieval Europe |
| Editors | B. Jervis, L. Broderick, I. Grau Sologestoa |
| Place of Publication | Turnhout, Belgium |
| Publisher | Brepols |
| Pages | 279-295 |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 978-2-503-5604-9 |
| ISBN (Print) | 978-2-503-55503-4 |
| Publication status | Published - 31 Jan 2016 |
Keywords
- geoarchaeology
- micromorphology
- towns
- medieval
- Kaupang
- Antwerp