@phdthesis{8741715,
  abstract     = {{This dissertation studies the forms, development, and meaning of rural settlement and domestic
architecture in northern Francia (roughly modern-day northwestern Belgium) during the Early
Medieval period (ca. AD 450-1000) from an archaeological point of view. More precisely, it focuses on
three topics: the chronological and geographical development of rural settlement; the forms,
characteristics and development of rural settlements; and the forms, characteristics and development
of domestic architecture. This is based on an extensive dataset of ca. 290 archaeological sites, most of
them ‘grey literature’ and thus unpublished.
The first goal of this research is to offer a descriptive framework on these aspects of rural
settlement. Different methodologies were applied to achieve this. With regard to the chronological
development of rural settlement, a multi-proxy approach was employed that integrates
archaeological settlement counts, radiocarbon SPDs and KDE, and a dendrochronological SPD. This
allowed to reconstruct a generally upwards trend of rural occupation that fits the historiographical
account on Early Medieval population development. With regard to the geographical development of
rural settlement, a qualitative and cartographic approach was followed. This allowed to identify two
periods of geographical settlement expansion into previously less densely occupied and cultivated
landscapes. For the description of rural settlement and building forms, a typological approach was
followed. This led to the definition of six rural settlement types and fourteen rural building types. The
characteristics and geographical and chronological distribution of each of these types is
comprehensively discussed.
The second goal of this research was to understand these characteristics and developments of rural
settlement from socio-economic and socio-cultural perspectives. This analysis is based on the
theoretical framework of practice theory and on a thorough contextual study, relating rural
settlement in northern Francia to rural settlement in northwestern Europe and to wider
developments in Frankish society as a whole. This allowed to construct a narrative on the
development of rural settlement in the study region. Confirming earlier research, two geographically
distinct social groups were recognised in northern Francia between the 6th and 8th century. The first
is located in the coastal zone, the second one in the interior of northern Francia. Each group expressed
its identity through specific types of domestic architecture and handmade pottery. From the second
half of the 7th century onwards, but especially during the 8th century, several transformations in rural
settlement took place. Fitting within the framework of the ‘long eighth century’, these
transformations designate important economic and social change. In this regard, the emergence of
ditched enclosures must be seen in both a social sense (more normative and strict use of space, greater
importance of the household as social unit, growing investment in the material expression of social
status) and in an economic sense (changes in land-use). By AD 850, the disappearance of the coastal
building tradition and of the regional handmade pottery traditions by had resulted in a homogeneous material culture throughout northern Francia, at least in terms of rural settlement. As in other
regions of western Europe, it could be concluded that these changes in material culture were directly
and indirectly caused by the growing presence and power of elites in rural society, while population
growth also played a role. By the end of the 9th century, new developments were already underway,
that would determine the nature of rural settlement during the High Medieval period. This involved
the emergence of a new building type, the “hall-type”, which likely was triggered by a combination
of economic needs, social display, and conformation to a new fashion. The development towards
individually enclosed farmyards furthermore confirms the growing importance of the household in
social terms.
This study contributes to the understanding of Early Medieval settlement, not only in a purely
descriptive way, but also in terms of the considerations and contexts that determined and were
determined by the daily lives of rural communities. In doing so, it sets the stage for further research.}},
  author       = {{Deschepper, Ewoud}},
  keywords     = {{Early Middle Ages,rural settlement,domestic architecture}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{XXXVI, 730}},
  publisher    = {{Ghent University. Faculty of Arts and Philosophy}},
  school       = {{Ghent University}},
  title        = {{House and yard in early medieval northern Francia : an archaeological study into the types, development and meanings of rural settlement and domestic architecture}},
  url          = {{https://easy.dans.knaw.nl/ui/datasets/id/easy-dataset:228504}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}