Power and rural landscapes in early medieval Galicia (400-900 ad): towards a re-incorporation of the archaeology into the historical narrative

This paper aims to bring together hitherto neglected archaeological data about the early medieval landscapes of Galicia (north‐west Spain), in order to understand the social transformations this ‘peripheral’ region underwent between the fifth and the ninth centuries and to frame them in the context...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Early medieval Europe 2013-05, Vol.21 (2), p.140-168
Main Author: Sanchez Pardo, José Carlos
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anthropology
Archaeology
Middle Ages
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:This paper aims to bring together hitherto neglected archaeological data about the early medieval landscapes of Galicia (north‐west Spain), in order to understand the social transformations this ‘peripheral’ region underwent between the fifth and the ninth centuries and to frame them in the context of wider European debates. Despite its many limitations, the archaeology reveals that until the middle of the seventh century, the late antique society of Gallaecia experienced a previously unsuspected vitality. At this point a socio‐political fragmentation occurred, which was characterized by the strengthening of local power, until a further change took place with the progressive incorporation of Galicia into the Asturian kingdom in the ninth century.
ISSN:0963-9462
1468-0254
DOI:10.1111/emed.12013