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Key research themes
1. How did political structures and ritual practices shape kingship and governance in early medieval Europe?
This research area investigates the intertwining of political power and ritual in establishing and legitimizing kingship during the Early Medieval period in Europe. It examines how royal consecrations, anointings, and inauguration rites symbolized and reinforced the authority of rulers, drawing upon textual and archaeological evidence to understand the socio-political dynamics of kingdoms such as the Frankish and Anglo-Saxon realms.
Key finding: Nelson (1986) articulates the role of ritual actions—such as royal consecration and anointing rituals—in transforming political power into sacral kingship in early medieval Europe. She details specific ceremonies (e.g., the... Read more
Key finding: Storli (2011) provides archaeological and historical analysis of Norwegian court sites, proposing they served as periodic assembly or 'thing' sites linked to political consolidation during the first millennium AD. Her work... Read more
Key finding: Brink (2010) supports the reinterpretation of court sites as loci of political and legal activity rather than permanent elite residences, emphasizing their dating mainly to AD 200-500 and suggesting a link with early legal... Read more
Key finding: Olav Rustad (2013) investigates burial customs across Norway during the Iron Age, demonstrating distinct regional ritual traditions that correlate with emerging political and social identities. His findings underscore how... Read more
2. What were the dynamics of ethnic and cultural interaction in Early Medieval Northern Europe, particularly between Norse and Sami populations?
This theme explores the archaeological and cultural interfaces where Norse and indigenous Sami groups coexisted and interacted during the Early Medieval period in Northern Norway. Research focuses on material culture indicators like boathouse architecture and settlement patterns to elucidate ethnic identities, hybridization, and socio-economic relations across diverse communities within complex multi-ethnic landscapes.
Key finding: Nilsen et al. (2011) analyze Iron Age and medieval boathouse construction styles in northern Norway to assess Norse-Sami ethnic interactions. Their comparative study reveals considerable overlap and variation in structural... Read more
Key finding: Nilsen (2012) contextualizes pre-modern boathouses within their broader maritime economic and cultural landscape in northern Norway, highlighting their multifunctional roles beyond mere boat storage. The study underscores the... Read more
Key finding: Ostnes (2015) documents the presence of Baltic and further eastern material culture imports in Arctic Norway during the Early Medieval period, signifying sustained long-distance contact networks. These imports, comprising... Read more
Key finding: Grimm and Carstens (2015) analyze the political and economic landscape of Blekinge, revealing how geographical features structured power relations from the Early Medieval period onwards. The study integrates archaeological... Read more
3. How can methodological approaches such as tephrochronology and historiographical reinterpretations advance our understanding of Early Medieval chronology and cultural identities?
This research area focuses on innovative methodologies and historiographical critique to refine chronological frameworks and challenge established narratives about identity formation in the Early Medieval period. It includes the application of geo-scientific dating techniques and critical reassessments of philosophical and nationalistic interpretations to deepen insight into temporal and cultural constructs during this epoch.
Key finding: Fisher et al. (2011) demonstrate the utility of cryptotephra analysis as a high-resolution chronological tool within Viking Age archaeological contexts in Norway. By identifying volcanic glass shards in boathouse sediments... Read more
Key finding: Sugar (2010) employs poststructuralist identity theory to reinterpret the formation of Slavic and specifically Croat identities in post-Roman Dalmatia as complex, negotiated processes rather than simple migrations or... Read more