'The spade cannot lie' - Fresh perspectives on medieval material culture
Organiser: Tehmina Goskar, Centre for Antiquity and the Middle Ages, University of Southampton
tehm@soton.ac.uk
Introduction
Chair: Dr Leonie Hicks (Centre for Antiquity and the Middle Ages, University of Southampton)
l.v.hicks@soton.ac.uk
On what basis can people who work in historical archaeologies, particularly the medieval past, converse with each other effectively and meaningfully? How can the standing of material culture in the broader sphere of medieval studies be improved? This session aims to start a wide-ranging debate about the ways in which we can improve how we interrogate medieval material culture from across Europe and the Mediterranean, and how we can apply useful theoretical frameworks to our interdisciplinary work. The papers will in this session will raise several key issues that challenge established paradigms about the Middle Ages and demonstrate how interdisciplinary approaches can improve our understanding and interpretation of this period.
The session will end with a discussion of whether it would be worthwhile to create a Medieval Material Culture Communication Network of academics, professionals and postgraduates who work in archaeology, museums, history, conservation, art history, materials technology and other fields, so we can continue to share our expertise and knowledge.
Interdisciplinary connections: Digging a little deeper –medieval archaeology and Its relationship with art history
Prof. Barbara Beall-Fofana, Assumption College, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Contact: bbeall@assumption.edu
The majority of well-known Art History Survey texts begin with the study of prehistoric art and include an ever-increasing amount of material culture inclusive of the medieval period that has been discovered through archaeology. Many of the texts address the challenge of interpretation prior to written records. However, there is little or no discussion of the archaeological process, how it contributes to our understanding of objects and what opportunities and constraints it presents in the interrogation of medieval material culture. My paper will examine several much-studied objects and architecture advocating the necessity for inclusion of archaeologists’ voices in art history for a more complex and comprehensive understanding of material culture and the methods used for study.
Is there a place for ethnoarchaeology in the study of Saxon ceramics?
Ben Jervis, Department of Archaeology, University of Southampton
bpj106@soton.ac.uk
Nearly a decade ago the publication of the edited volume ‘Not So Much a Pot, More a Way of Life’ (Blinkhorn and Cumberpatch 1997) called for new and theoretical approaches to the study of medieval ceramics; however, the majority of the literature produced since then has been in the form of dry, empirical reports rather than innovative theoretical works. This paper is intended to pose the question of the validity of an ethnographic approach to the subject. Although ethnoarchaeology and the study of early medieval Britain may at first seem like uneasy bed fellows it is hoped that facts and hypotheses derived from ethnographic work can be shown to at least be able to inform our thinking on Saxon ceramics. Ethnographic examples are taken from South East Asia, South Western USA and Africa which are used to argue that ethnoarchaeology can help us to answer so far unanswered questions about ceramic production and use as well as question established ‘facts’ and assumptions.
Taking liberties with the Middle Ages: the Museum of London's Medieval London gallery
Meriel Jeater (Department of Early London History, Museum of London )
mjeater@museumoflondon.org.uk
In November 2005 the Museum of London opened its new 'Medieval London gallery' - a new interpretation of the period that updated the story told by the previous 1970s medieval gallery. Archaeological evidence and historical work from the past 30 years has been incorporated to tell a fresh story. The traditional medieval key dates of 1066 and 1485 are ignored. The gallery concentrates on other events that had more significance for medieval Londoners, such as the re-founding of London by King Alfred in 886 and the Black Death of 1348.
In the Medieval London gallery we use objects to tell stories, concentrating on what they can tell us about medieval London and its inhabitants. Archaeology is used to provide dates and information but the archaeological process is not the focus of the gallery. We use documentary evidence to bring in stories about individuals, which would not be possible with the objects alone. We are trying to reach new audiences that the old gallery did not consider - children and families. Audience research has told us much more about visitor knowledge and has allowed us to adapt the gallery to their needs but questions have also been raised - how much should visitors' expectations influence the interpretation of the past?
Life after death. A socio-ethnographic reinterpretation of early medieval male burial sites in northern Italian areas
Dr Paolo de Vingo, SAAST Department, University of Turin paolo.devingo@aleph.it
In Italy, as in other continental European territories, the burial objects of early medieval male interments also included combat weapons. Generally, this feature is associated with the military, linking it to a «typically Germanic» ethnic characteristic, to the «pagan» religion of the deceased and, finally, to the strategic occupation of territory. This assumption is based therefore on the ethnic identification of burial sites with weapons: hence, it is stated that burials of warriors in French territory involve men that, ethnically, can be identified as Franks, as Longobards in the Italian territory, as Anglo-Saxons in the English territory, and so on.
These underlying assumptions must be completely reconsidered and reviewed. For example, male weapon burial evidence is almost non-existent for the Ostrogoths in Italy, the Burgundians in Sapaudia, and the Visigoths in southern France and Spain. Only in Frankish areas do 5 th century male interments contain weapons. So, this practice cannot be ascribed to a culturally homogeneous and undifferentiated Germanic or «Barbarian» custom but rather to a burial trend that emerged in precise geographic contexts, with border areas, displaying funerary trends that involved all ethnic groups.
Mute but suggestive: How medieval historians can deal with material culture
Tehmina Goskar (Centre for Antiquity and the Middle Ages, University of Southampton)
“I thought he looked a bit queasy when an artefact was mentioned,” said an archaeologist of an historian during a research seminar. The stereotype of historians as object-averse must be questioned and challenged. Why are medieval historians ready to bestow more authenticity on the text than the object? What are the origins of the logocentric attitude of the historian and how can this attitude be challenged in an academic climate where interdisciplinarity is meant to be the essence of humanities research? In this paper I will explore aspects of the conflict between historians and archaeologists, giving some examples from my own research (based on written and ‘physcial’ sources) on southern Italy. My approach to the material object is to read it like an historical document, in tandem with scrutinising the documented object as if it were manifest. I will discuss ways in which comparative methods have helped me confront the marginal position material culture research occupies in the field of history, and how I intend to disseminate my research across disciplines beyond traditional publication.
Discussion: Do we need a Medieval Material Culture Communication Network?
Introduced by: Tehmina Goskar (5 mins)
Chaired by Leonie Hicks
The five papers will be followed by an open, 45 minute debate about some of the topics raised as a way of establishing the aims of a Medieval Material Culture Communication Network. The idea of behind this network would be enable a variety of professionals engaged with work on medieval material culture to talk to each other, share expertise and advice, offer services, devise new collaborative projects, encourage links between those in academia and those in professional services such as archaeological units, conservation centres and museums, and provide a support network for students and young professionals. This network would not seek to duplicate the activities of established societies and groupings, for example the IFA Finds Group, the Society for Medieval Archaeology or ICMAH (ICOM International Committee for Museums of Archaeology and History), but rather to enable individuals who work on similar material across the world, to better communicate with each other.
All participants (speakers and audience) will be invited to leave their contact details and suggestions at the end of the session. These details will be used initially to create an electronic mailing list where we can continue discussion about a way forward. Anyone who is interested in this network but cannot attend the session should email Tehmina Goskar on tehm@soton.ac.uk. |
