Settlement and Social Organization The Merovingian Region of Metz [Paperback]

An historical and archaeological examination of social organisation in the Merovingian region of Metz.This book is a regional study of what is now northern Lorraine during the period between the end of the Roman Empire and the accession of Charlemagne. It covers a broad range of historical themes, looking at all areas of society and the settlements in which it lived. Adopting a new 'multi-disciplinary' methodology, integrating historical and archaeological evidence, it argues that early medieval society was not stagnant, as is often thought, but was both diverse and open to constant change.This book is a regional study of what is now northern Lorraine during the period between the end of the Roman Empire and the accession of Charlemagne. It covers a broad range of historical themes, looking at all areas of society and the settlements in which it lived. Adopting a new 'multi-disciplinary' methodology, integrating historical and archaeological evidence, it argues that early medieval society was not stagnant, as is often thought, but was both diverse and open to constant change.This book is a regional study of what is now northern Lorraine during the period between the end of the Roman Empire and the accession of Charlemagne. It covers a broad range of historical themes, looking at all areas of society and the settlements in which it lived. Adopting a new multi-disciplinary methodology that integrates historical and archaeological evidence, it argues that early medieval society was not stagnant, as is often thought, but was both diverse and open to constant change.1. Introduction; Part I. Social Organization: 2. Social organization: descriptive analysis of the documentary evidence; 3. Creating a model: cemeteries of the Merovingian civitas of Metz; 4. Testing the model: cemeteries outside the civitas of Metz; Part II. Settlement: 5. Rural settlement; 6. Intermediate settlement: Castra, vici, palaces and monasteries; 7. Urbanism in Metz; Part III. Conclusions: 8. Town al,