Theme:
Mediterranean seascapes
Session format:
Session, made up of a combination of papers, max. 15 minutes each
Title:
Pirenne vs. Glass: The contribution of archaeological and archaeometric glass analysis to the study of early medieval long-distance trade networks
Content:
Written round 80 years ago, Pirenne's thesis on the breakdown of links across the Mediterranean and between the Mediterranean and north-western Europe has become an emblematic point in the research of early medieval economy. This session explores what the archaeological and archaeometric analysis of glass, especially glass beads, can contribute to a better understanding of long-distance trade/exchange networks in the early medieval period. With various glass types being of Near Eastern/Middle Eastern origin, and the possibility of the chemical identification of these groups, glass is an ideal material type to study long-distance connections. Many of these connections linked the Mediterranean with areas in central and north-western Europe, while others connected to the south, to various regions of Africa and the Indian Ocean. This session aims to give an overview of current research on these long-distance networks.
Keywords:
early medieval, glass, long-distance trade
Session associated with MERC:
yes
Session associated with CIfA:
no
Session associated with SAfA:
no
Main organiser:
Dr Hajnalka Herold (United Kingdom) 1
Co-organisers:
Professor Søren Sindbæk (Denmark) 2
Affiliations:
1. University of Exeter
2. University of Aarhus
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