The elites in the village : study of the social distinction through archaeological indicators, on both sides of the Channel Sea, from the 11th to the 15th century
This PhD aims both at demonstrating that archaeological remains could and should be socially interpreted and at revising our - sometimes simplified - perspective on the socio-economic stratification of medieval villages. This project is based on the example of the excavations situated at Trainecourt (Grentheville - Calvados) where an âaristocraticâ house had been established in the centre of the hamlet. Thus, a method has been developed to grasp village elites, of whom we know some details thanks to medieval written sources but who had hardly been studied in medieval archaeology. By using a comparative approach that draws a parallel between both French and English archaeological data and scientific perspectives; by adopting the theoretical frame offered by the Social Archaeology; by studying the social processes (the distinction, coming closer to, the performance) that are expressed by patterns of consumption in the settlement; by examining aristocratic sites (manor houses, moated sites, castles, etc.), we managed to establish a list of thirty-four archaeological indicators revealing an outstanding social identity. They are grouped in three categories: the use of space, the morphology of the settlement
Rego, Diane Eliane Maria
The elites in the village : study of the social distinction through archaeological indicators, on both sides of the Channel Sea, from the 11th to the 15th century. This PhD aims both at demonstrating that archaeological remains could and should be socially interpreted and at revising our - sometimes simplified - perspective on the socio-economic stratification of medieval villages. This project is based on the example of the excavations situated at Trainecourt (Grentheville - Calvados) where an âaristocraticâ house had been established in the centre of the hamlet. Thus, a method has been developed to grasp village elites, of whom we know some details thanks to medieval written sources but who had hardly been studied in medieval archaeology. By using a comparative approach that draws a parallel between both French and English archaeological data and scientific perspectives; by adopting the theoretical frame offered by the Social Archaeology; by studying the social processes (the distinction, coming closer to, the performance) that are expressed by patterns of consumption in the settlement; by examining aristocratic sites (manor houses, moated sites, castles, etc.), we managed to establish a list of thirty-four archaeological indicators revealing an outstanding social identity. They are grouped in three categories: the use of space, the morphology of the settlement
elite village study social distinction archaeological indicator side channel sea phd aim demonstrate archaeological_remains could socially interpret revise sometimes simplify perspective socio_economic stratification medieval village project base example excavation situate aristocratic house establish centre hamlet thus method_develop grasp village elites know detail thanks medieval write_source hardly study medieval archaeology use comparative draw parallel french_english archaeological_data scientific perspective adopt theoretical frame offer social archaeology study social_process distinction come closer performance express patterns consumption settlement examine aristocratic site manor house moated_site castle etc manage establish list thirty archaeological indicator reveal outstanding social_identity group three_category use_space morphology settlement