Medieval Archaeology

 

1999

 

Graham-Campbell, James and Colleen E. Batey. Vikings in Scotland: An Archaeological Survey.  Edinburgh,  Edinburgh University Press, 1998.

 

Monk, Michael A. and John Sheehan (ed.).  Early Medieval Munster: Archaeology, History, Society.  Cork, Cork University Press, 1998.  Munster is an Irish city in the southernmost province.  It covers Christianity, High Crosses, Romanesque architecture and Viking-age silver hoards and towns and application of archaeological theory to the study of Early Medieval Munster and effects of nationalism on Irish archaeology.

 

McNeill, Tom.  Castles in Ireland: Feudal Power in a Gaelic World.  London, Routledge, 1997.  Called a worthy successor of Harold Leask’s work of 1941.  Divided into 3 periods 1167-1225, 13th and 14th centuries, 14th-16th centuries.  It moves away from purely descriptive, putting buildings in contemporary socio-economic and political contexts.

 

Geake, Helen.  The Use of Grave-Goods in Conversion-Period England.  Oxford, BAR British Series, 1997.  It offers historical interpretation of material-cultural phenomena and changes of period.

 

1998

 

Bell, Tyler.  “Churches on Roman Buildings: Christian associations and Roman masonry in Anglo-Saxon England” Medieval Archaeology. Volume 42, 1998.  London, Society for Medieval Archaeology, p1-18.

 

Astill, Grenville, and Wendy Davies.  A Breton Landscape.  London, U.C.L. Press, 1997.  It involves landscape survey combining field survey, documentary analysis and standing building recording over an area of 128 square km., recording the changing land use in Brittany.

 

Cherry Lavell (compiler).  Handbook for British and Irish Archaeology. Sources and Resources.  Edinburgh, Edinburgh University Press, 1997.

 

Hines, John. (ed.)  The Anglo-Saxons from the Migration Period to the Eighth Century: An Ethnographic Perspective.  Woodbridge, Boydell Press, 1997.

 

Barker, Katherine and Timothy Darville.  Making English Landscapes: Changing Perspectives.  Oxford, Oxbow Books, 1998.  Series of papers presented to Christopher Taylor at a symposium in 1995.

 

 

 

1997

 

Williams, Howard.  “Ancient Landscapes and the Dead: The Reuse of Prehistorica and Roman Monuments as Early Anglo-Saxon Burial Sites.”  Medieval Archaeology 1997,  London, Society for Medieval Archaeology.

 

Proudfoot, Edwina and Christopher Aliaga-Kelly.  “Aspects of Settlement and Territorial Arrangement in South-east Scotland in the Late Prehistoric and Early Medieval Periods”  Medieval Archaeology, 1997,  London, Society for Medieval Archaeology.

 

Gregory, Donald.  Wales before 1066.  A Guide.  Llanrwst.  Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, 1992.  Not reviewed

 

Champion, T. C. and J. R. Collis (ed.)  The Iron Age in Britain and Ireland: Recent Trends.  Sheffield, J.R. Collis Publications, 1996.

 

Ausenda, G. (ed.)  After Empire.  Towards and Ethnology of Europe’s Barbarians.  Woodbridge, Boydell Press, 1995.  Has a paper by David Dumville on Gildas, John Hines on Gildas in a wider Germanic self-definition, Julian Richards on Anglo-Saxon burial practice.

 

Louis, Carenza, Patrick Mitchell-Fox and Christopher Dyer.  Village, Hamlet and Field.  Changing Medieval Settlements in Central England.  Manchester, Manchester University Press, 1997.  Covers 4 Midland counties and uses this region to explain settlement pattern in a wider context.  Calls 9th-13th centuries a village moment and uses “evolutionary thesis” of rise and decline of villages.

 

Fox, H.S.A. (ed.) Seasonal Settlement.  Leicester, University of Leicester Department of Adult Education, 1996.  Good review on non-permanent settlements and uses in England.

 

Higham, N.J.  The Convert Kings.  Power and Religious Affiliation in Early Anglo-Saxon England.  Manchester, Manchester University Press, 1997.  Not reviewed

 

 

1996

 

Hall, R. A. and Mark Whyman.  “Settlement and Monasticism at Ripon, North Yorkshire, From the 7th to 11th Centuries A.D.”  Medieval Archaeology, 1996, London, Society for Medieval Archaeology.

 

Allen, J. R. L.,  “A Possible Medieval Trade in Iron Ores in the Severn Estuary”  Medieval Archaeology, 1996, London, Society for Medieval Archaeology.

 

Graham-Campbell, James.  The Viking-Age Gold and Silver of Scotland (A.D. 850-1100)  Edinburgh, National Museums of Scotland, 1995.  “This work must be regarded as a real treasure-trove to anyone who is interested in questions concerning the use of precious metals in the Viking Age, contacts between Scandinavia and the British Isles, or economic matters in that period.”

 

Wickham-Jones, C.R.  Scotland’s First Settlers  London, Batsford/Historic Scotland, 1996.  Not reviewed

 

Thomas, Charles.  And Shall These Mute Stones Speak?  Post-Roman Inscriptions in Western Britain.  Cardiff, University of Wales Press, 1994.  Deals with Wales.  The reviewer thought there was much to read and ponder, that it was controversial – much to mislead the unwary but challenging to western early medievalists.

 

Higham, N.J.  An English Empire: Bede and the Early Anglo-Saxon Kings.  Manchester, Manchester University Press, 1995.  Deals with the Tribal Hidage and “Bretwalda” issues but the reviewer felt the author failed to prove his case.

 

Dyer, Christopher.  Everyday Life in Medieval England.  London, Hambledon Press, 1994.  Has a lot on settlement patterns, tensions between nation and regionality.  Marxist.  Reviewer didn’t agree with much.

 

Rackham, James. (ed.)  Environment and Economy in Anglo-Saxon England.  York, Council for British Archaeology, 1994.  Has different papers and you can see the importance of environmental archaeology from it.

 

Scott, Tom, and Pat Starkey. (ed.)  The Middle Ages in the North-West.  Oxford, Leopard’s Head Press, 1995.  Collection of papers on North-West England.

 

Riley, D. N.  Aerial Archaeology in Britain.  Princes Risborough: Shire Publications, 1996.  Not reviewed

 

Ottaway, Patrick.  Archaeology of British Towns.  London, Routledge, 1996.  Not reviewed.

 

1995

 

Dumville, David N and others.  Saint Patrick A.D. 493-1993.  Woodbridge, Boydell Press, 1993.  Series of essays on chronological and historical problems, particularly source materials.  Goes into the cult of St. Patrick outside Ireland, said to be for anyone working on Britain and Ireland in the 5th century.

 

Ritchie, Anna.  Viking Scotland.  London, Batsford and Historic Scotland, 1993.  Has three good chapters on regions – settlement, land use and environment.

 

Della Hooke.  Pre-Conquest Charter-Bounds of Devon and Cornwall.  Woodbridge, Boydell Press, 1994.  Look at 10th and 11th century charter clauses and trying to map them out in Devon and Cornwall.  Good review.

 

Alexander Rumble.  The Reign of Cnut: King of England, Denmark and Norway.  London, Leicester University Press, 1994.  This is said to be an interdisciplinary study of Cnut.

 

Higham, N.J.  The English Conquest: Gildas and Britain in the 5th Century.  Manchester, Manchester University Press, 1994.  It got a mixed review.  It is supposed to have a very good treatment of Gildas and Gildas’s geography but the author’s argument about the chronology of Gildas is supposed to be flawed.

 

Dark, K.R.  Civitas to Kingdom, British Political Continuity 300-800.  London, Leicester University Press, 1994.  The reviewer thought the thesis interesting but flawed.

 

Jisch, Judith.  Women in the Viking Age.  Woodbridge, Boydell Press, 1994.

 

O’Sullivan, Deirdre and Robert Young.  English Heritage Book of Lindisfarne.  London, Batsford, 1994.  Got a good review.

 

 

1994

 

Romilly Allen, J. and Joseph Anderson.  The Early Christian Monuments of Scotland. Forfar, the Pinkfoot Press, 1993. Reprint of 1903 text.  Enduring value, still has 90% of known material.

 

Wilson, David.  Anglo-Saxon Paganism.  London and New York, Routledge, 1992.  Gathers together information on archaeological remains but doesn’t put into historical context.

 

Spearman, Michael and John Higgett (ed.)  The Age of Migrating Ideas.  Early Medieval Art in Northern Britain and Ireland.  Edinburgh and Stroud: National Museums of Scotland and Alan Sutton, 1993.  Demonstrates well the current state of the subject – north of the Humber and wide variety of research being carried out – touches on patronage and cultural contacts.

 

Dumville, David N.  Wessex and England from Alfred to Edgar: six essays on political, cultural and ecclesiastical revival.  Woodbridge, Boydell Press, 1992.  Challenges assumptions made about the time.

 

Cunliffe, Barry.  Wessex to A. D. 1000.  London, New York, Longman, 1993.

 

Higham, N.J.  The Kingdom of Northumbria A. D. 350-1100.  Stroud, Alan Sutton, 1993.  Talks about bishops and kings, not common people.

 

 

 

 

1993

 

Edwards, Nancy and Alan Lane. (ed.)  The Early Church in Wales and the West.  Recent Work in Early Christian Archaeology, History and Place-Names.  Oxford, Oxbow Books, 1992.  Deals with Wales, west of Britain and Ireland with different articles.

 

Esmonde Cleary, A.S.  The Ending of Roman Britain.  London, Batsford, 1989.  It includes continental detail up to migrations.

Welch, Martin.  Anglo-Saxon England.  London, Batsford, 1992.  Covers settlements, cemeteries and a wider context and is very clear.  Covers the early Anglo-Saxon period up to 7th and 8th centuries.  Not quite enough for a satisfactory textbook for serious student of early Anglo-Saxon archaeology but ideal for historian wanting an overview.

 

Steane, John.  The Archaeology of the English Medieval Monarchy.  London, Batsford, 1993.  Inspired by the History of King’s works, essentially a condensed version into one volume without the castles.

 

Filmer-Sankey, William, S. C. Hawkes and J. Campbell and D. Brown.   Anglo-Saxon Studies in Archaeology and History 5. Oxford, Oxford University Committee for Archaeology, 1992.  Interdisciplinary approach and good ties to continent.

 

Loyn, Henry.  Society and Peoples.  Studies in the History of England and Wales c. 600-1200.  London, Centre for Medieval Studies, 1992.  Compendium of Loyn’s papers.

 

 

1992

 

Kruse, Susan E.  “Late Saxon Balances and Weights from England.”  Medieval Archaeology 1992,  London, Society for Medieval Archaeology.

 

Redknap, Mark.  The Christian Celts: Treasures of Late Celtic Wales.  Cardiff National Museum of Wales, 1991.  Covers 5th-12th centuries A.D.  More than just a picture book, it links archaeological material and documentary evidence without getting lost.

 

Price, Neil S.  The Vikings in Brittany.  London, Viking Society for Northern Research, 1989.  Covers 800-1100, the archaeology and history and it got a good review.

 

The Early Castles, from the Norman Conquest to 1217.  Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments in Wales, London, HMSO, 1991.  Earthworks especially and related to spread of Normans under Robert Fitzhamon (1093-1107) and Robert of Gloucester (1113-1147).

 

Coss, P. R.  Lordship, Knighthood and Locality: A Study in English Society c.1180-c.1250.  Cambridge, CUP, 1991.

 

Klingelhofer, Eric.  Manor, Vill and Hundred: The Development of Rural Institutions in Early Medieval Hampshire.  Toronto, Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies 1992.

 

 

1991

 

Sean McGrail (ed.)  Maritime Celts, Frisians, and Saxons.  London, Councili for British Archaeology, 1990.  Reviewer called it overall competent.  Has a variety of papers, many of which deal with boats and waterborne traffic.  Also calls it a valuable collection and starting point for discussion of maritime archaeology but did not come away with clear overall picture of the subject.

 

Edward, Nancy.  The Archaeology of Early Medieval Ireland.  London, Batsford, 1990.  Covers the 5th-12th centuries, and the reviewer called it a finely produced book filling a needed gap.

 

Ritchie, Anna and David J. Brieze.  Invaders of Scotland.  Edinburgh, HMSO.  A popular introduction to the archaeology of Romans, Scots, Angles and Vikings highlighting monuments in the care of the state.

 

Dodgshon, R. A. and R. A. Butler. (ed.)  An Historical Geography of England and Wales.  First produced in 1978, includes works on Celts, Saxons and Scandinavians, people of the Middle Ages, Towns and Trade.

 

Hooke, Della (ed.)  Anglo-Saxon Settlements.  Oxford, Basil Blackwell.  Said to be a great leap forward in Anglo-Saxon landscape studies, series of essays (I’ve read this one).

 

Sims-Williams, Patrick.  Religion and Literature in Western England, 600-800.  Cambridge, CUP, 1990.  His primary interest is the literary culture of Hwicce and Magonsaetan – which he places in the dioceses of Worcester and Hereford.  “For an understanding of the Latin culture of the Old English church in the pre-Viking period, and for an exploration of that culture from a point of view not dominated by Bede, this book is essential reading,” says the reviewer.  The book also looks at non-literary evidence for Hwicce and Magonsaetan.

 

Vyner, B.E. (ed.)  Medieval Rural Settlement in North-East England.  Purham, A&SD&N, 1990.  This book is a compilation of papers presented at a day school in memorium for Leslie Still and the reviewer thought it was a fitting memorial.

 

Hinton, David A.  Archaeology, Economy and Society: England from the Fifth to the Fifteenth Century.  London, Sealy, 1990.  The reviewer called it the broadest range of archaeology in terms of developments of England over large period and though ambitious, the reviewer says it succeeds.

 

*Dyer, Christopher.  Standards of Living in the Later Middle Ages.  Social Change in England c. 1200-1520.  Cambridge, CUP, 1989.  For the High and Later Middle Ages crowd.  It is called a readable and subtle account of current interpretations of medieval social and economic history as well as a guide to quality, range and limitations of available evidence.

 

Parsons, David (ed.)  Stone: Quarrying and Building in England A.D. 43-1525.  Chichester, Phillimore, 1990.  Said to be of high standard, a useful volume of papers on the subject.

 

Bammesberger, Alfred and Alfred Wollmann.  Britain 400-600: Language and History.  Heidelberg, Carl Winter, 1990.  Has one section on the “historical and cultural background of Dark Age Britain.”

 

Hodges, Richard.  The Anglo-Saxon Achievement.  London, Duckworth, 1991.  Not reviewed.