Settlement, Climate Crisis and Lordship in Early Medieval Scandinavia
This article examines and describes the nature of lordship in Scandinavia during the Early Medieval period (c.400–1000 CE). It counters the assertions of earlier research, which claim that lordship with estates had already developed at the beginning of the period. Earlier arguments have built on as...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Svenska Arkeologiska Samfundet
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Current Swedish Archaeology |
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| Online Access: | https://publicera.kb.se/csa/article/view/13120 |
| _version_ | 1797295816673591296 |
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| author | Jan-Henrik Fallgren |
| author_facet | Jan-Henrik Fallgren |
| author_sort | Jan-Henrik Fallgren |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
This article examines and describes the nature of lordship in Scandinavia during the Early Medieval period (c.400–1000 CE). It counters the assertions of earlier research, which claim that lordship with estates had already developed at the beginning of the period. Earlier arguments have built on assumptions that the development of estates was propelled by the ‘Dust Veil’ and the subsequent climate crisis of the mid-sixth century. Scholars have argued that a more hierarchical society followed, reflected through the emergence of more lavish burial customs. Through a broad comparison with other north-western European regions and peoples, this article demonstrates that these burial customs can be understood differently, and further, that a more hierarchal society was not necessarily the outcome of the crises of the sixth century. The resulting analysis of Scandinavian lordship is then anchored in a detailed case study of the well-preserved settlements, houses, farms and field-systems on the Baltic Island of Öland. It concludes that incentives to create estates in Scandinavia were not present before the Christianization process.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T21:54:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-89470f50f4884343babbc374e7156ca7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1102-7355 2002-3901 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T21:54:26Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | Svenska Arkeologiska Samfundet |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Current Swedish Archaeology |
| spelling | doaj.art-89470f50f4884343babbc374e7156ca72024-02-25T01:54:18ZengSvenska Arkeologiska SamfundetCurrent Swedish Archaeology1102-73552002-39012024-02-013110.37718/CSA.2023.11Settlement, Climate Crisis and Lordship in Early Medieval ScandinaviaJan-Henrik Fallgren0Department of Archaeology and Ancient History This article examines and describes the nature of lordship in Scandinavia during the Early Medieval period (c.400–1000 CE). It counters the assertions of earlier research, which claim that lordship with estates had already developed at the beginning of the period. Earlier arguments have built on assumptions that the development of estates was propelled by the ‘Dust Veil’ and the subsequent climate crisis of the mid-sixth century. Scholars have argued that a more hierarchical society followed, reflected through the emergence of more lavish burial customs. Through a broad comparison with other north-western European regions and peoples, this article demonstrates that these burial customs can be understood differently, and further, that a more hierarchal society was not necessarily the outcome of the crises of the sixth century. The resulting analysis of Scandinavian lordship is then anchored in a detailed case study of the well-preserved settlements, houses, farms and field-systems on the Baltic Island of Öland. It concludes that incentives to create estates in Scandinavia were not present before the Christianization process. https://publicera.kb.se/csa/article/view/13120Climate crisisearly medieval Scandinavian hierarchiesLordshipestates |
| spellingShingle | Jan-Henrik Fallgren Settlement, Climate Crisis and Lordship in Early Medieval Scandinavia Current Swedish Archaeology Climate crisis early medieval Scandinavian hierarchies Lordship estates |
| title | Settlement, Climate Crisis and Lordship in Early Medieval Scandinavia |
| title_full | Settlement, Climate Crisis and Lordship in Early Medieval Scandinavia |
| title_fullStr | Settlement, Climate Crisis and Lordship in Early Medieval Scandinavia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Settlement, Climate Crisis and Lordship in Early Medieval Scandinavia |
| title_short | Settlement, Climate Crisis and Lordship in Early Medieval Scandinavia |
| title_sort | settlement climate crisis and lordship in early medieval scandinavia |
| topic | Climate crisis early medieval Scandinavian hierarchies Lordship estates |
| url | https://publicera.kb.se/csa/article/view/13120 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT janhenrikfallgren settlementclimatecrisisandlordshipinearlymedievalscandinavia |