The European Frontier : Clashes and Compromises in the Middle Ages

During the Middle Ages the concepts of `them and us' became concrete in the shape of fiercely defended frontiers, some of which were physical, geographic and political, while others were more ideological. This volume, the proceedings of an international symposium held at Lund University in 2000, presents twenty-four papers which examine the archaeological evidence for frontiers across Europe. Divided into seven sections, the contributios examine: the European frontier; ethnic identities; political identities; symbols and identity; the economic frontier; the administrative frontier; the ecclesiastical frontier. Using such evidence as archaeological settlements, churches, burials, coins, silver, runestones, iconography and written sources, the papers explore the ways in which boundaries and social or ethnic difference and identity can be detected in the archaeological record, or in placenames, or in the symbolism of art and architecture. They consider how boundaries could be crossed, such as by the activities of pilgrimage and crusade, how religion divided or united and how different groups could be integrated when politically necessary. The majority of papers focus on Germany, central Europe, Scandinavia and the Baltic. Thirteen papers are in English; the remainder in German