Skeletal evidence of the social persona : life, death and society in early medieval Alamannic communities
Historic-archaeological research on the Alamanni, an early medieval population in the periphery of the Frankish Empire, primarily focuses on themes such as their military character or issues of ethnicity, while the actual functioning of Alamannic societies remains conjectural. Aiming at presenting an integrated approach to the concepts of social organisation and social identities in Alamannic populations, this study examines and defines Alamannic identity and society by creating a dialogue between the disciplines of archaeology, biological anthropology and socio-cultural sciences. A bioarchaeology of identity explores the Alamanni of Pleidelsheim and Neresheim via their funerary and skeletal evidence, allowing for the factor of different environments that influence the interactions of a community. A key theme is the investigation of indicators for biological and social 'status', by direct association of bioanthropological with funerary archaeological data, as well as by evaluation of present interpretations made from material culture in the light of bioanthropological analysis as a paramount focus. The results are interpreted in terms of social status and the perception of certain social parameters, exploring
Speith, Nivien
Bioarchaeology ; Early medieval ; Alamanni ; Merovingian ; Social identities ; Archaeology ; Biological anthropology ; Death and burial ; Palaeopathology ; Musculoskeletal stress markers
Skeletal evidence of the social persona : life, death and society in early medieval Alamannic communities. Historic-archaeological research on the Alamanni, an early medieval population in the periphery of the Frankish Empire, primarily focuses on themes such as their military character or issues of ethnicity, while the actual functioning of Alamannic societies remains conjectural. Aiming at presenting an integrated approach to the concepts of social organisation and social identities in Alamannic populations, this study examines and defines Alamannic identity and society by creating a dialogue between the disciplines of archaeology, biological anthropology and socio-cultural sciences. A bioarchaeology of identity explores the Alamanni of Pleidelsheim and Neresheim via their funerary and skeletal evidence, allowing for the factor of different environments that influence the interactions of a community. A key theme is the investigation of indicators for biological and social 'status', by direct association of bioanthropological with funerary archaeological data, as well as by evaluation of present interpretations made from material culture in the light of bioanthropological analysis as a paramount focus. The results are interpreted in terms of social status and the perception of certain social parameters, exploring
skeletal evidence social persona life_death society early_medieval community historic archaeological early_medieval population periphery frankish empire primarily_focus theme military character issue ethnicity actual functioning society remain present integrated concept social_organisation social_identity population study_examines define identity society_create dialogue discipline_archaeology biological anthropology socio_cultural science bioarchaeology identity explore via funerary skeletal evidence allow factor different environment influence interaction community key_theme investigation indicator biological social_status direct association funerary archaeological_data well evaluation present interpretation make material_culture light analysis paramount focus interpret term social_status perception certain social parameter explore