Papers by Bendeguz Tobias
J. P. Barna / C. Szalontai (eds.), "…Általad nyert szép hazát…". Tanulmányok Fodor István emlékére (Budapest) , 2024
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Anna-Elisabeth Awad-Konrad, Hubert Ilsinger, Florian M. Müller, Elisabeth Waldhart (Hrsg.) Opfer der eigenen Begeisterung Festschrift für Harald Stadler zum 65. Geburtstag, 2024
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2023 IEEE 10th International Conference on Data Science and Advanced Analytics (DSAA), 2023
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Das Gräberfeld von Obereggendorf (NÖ) – Erste interdisziplinäre Einblicke in eines der größten awarenzeitlichen Gräberfelder Ostösterreichs, 2023
In 2000, aerial archaeological documentation uncovered an extensive archaeological site with over... more In 2000, aerial archaeological documentation uncovered an extensive archaeological site with over 1000 features assumed to be graves near the village of Obereggendorf
30 km south of Vienna. Its dating, however, remained unclear. An initial archaeological excavation to clarify the site’s date, preservation, and structure was carried out in
2021. Two small trenches measuring 41 m² and 69 m², respectively, were opened in the northern area. Seven intact graves, containing the poorly preserved skeletal remains of a young adult male, an adolescent probable female, and four subadult individuals buried in an extended supine position and oriented along an east-west axis were excavated. Grave goods associated with the individuals included an iron knife, two sets of earrings, three necklaces made from glass beads, and a bone needle case. These items dated the site to the Avar period with one grave more specifically dating to the late phase of Avar settlement in Eastern Austria. The bioarchaeological analysis revealed a low life expectancy and high child mortality, most likely due to infectious diseases and nutritional deficiencies of which evidence was also found on the skeletal remains. Interdisciplinary archaeological research combined with modern excavation techniques applied to cemetery sites has the potential to vastly improve our knowledge about living conditions, burial customs, and the Avars’ beliefs of life after death. Situated within a dense network of Avar period sites in the Vienna basin, the Obereggendorf cemetery represents the largest Avar period cemetery documented in Eastern Austria to date. The data set from this first archaeological examination is small and therefore not representative of the entire site. However, this data set
not only provides the foundation for further steps, but also for the exploration of both the site’s research potential and protection.
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Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 48 (2023) 103842, 2023
Osteometric data and morphological observations on cattle bones from Roman period sites from pres... more Osteometric data and morphological observations on cattle bones from Roman period sites from present-day
Austria suggest the arrival of a new large-sized cattle population, which has been connected with the
conquest of this area by the Romans and subsequent import of a Mediterranean population. Therefore, recent
documentation of some large-sized cattle remains, similar to those found in the Roman period, already from two
Late Iron Age sites, one even north of the Danube, indicate an earlier presence of this cattle population together
with the typical small-sized Iron Age cattle population. We applied ancient mitochondrial DNA analysis on
fourteen Iron Age and Roman period cattle teeth and bones to find genetic evidence concerning possible cattle
mobility. Our results show the presence of haplogroup T3, a common European haplogroup, for both large-sized
(imported) and small-sized (Iron Age) cattle. For the first time in present-day Austria, our documentation of
haplogroups T1 (common in cattle populations from southern Europe) and T5 (so far recorded only in Italian and
some Croatian cattle populations probably due to Mediterranean influence) in the Iron Age large-sized cattle
provides evidence for cattle imports from the Mediterranean already during the Iron Age.
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In: Falko Daim und Dominik Heher (Hg.): Reiternomaden in Europa. Ausstellung Schallaburg „Reiternomaden in Európa - Hunnen, Awaren, Bulgaren, Ungarn" 9. April -Б. November 2022. Schallaburg, 2022
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Environmental Archaeology, 2022
This study investigates the faunal assemblage from excavations in Podersdorf am See (easternmost ... more This study investigates the faunal assemblage from excavations in Podersdorf am See (easternmost Austria) dating between the 4th and 6th century AD. The site is located in a flat area east of Lake Neusiedl (Hungarian: Fertő tó), surrounded by numerous (palaeo-)lake
depressions and comprises remains of small-scale rural installations from three phases between the 2nd and 13th century AD. In contrast with previous studies, which focus on urban sites or villae rusticae, Podersdorf offers the opportunity to examine the Late Antiquity period of transition at a peripheral, small-scale, rural site. In total, 904 animal bones were investigated. Although several features hint at a rural site of producers, such as the dominance of female sheep/goats there are, also indications for animal imports, including a high number of male/castrated cattle and pigs along with the presence of three different cattle morphotypes. Age and sex profiles of the main domesticated species (cattle, sheep/goats and pigs) show a slight emphasis on meat consumption. Chop and cut marks on horse and dog bones indicate cynophagy and hippophagy. Compared with contemporaneous sites in north-eastern Austria, Podersdorf has the highest NISP number of wild mammals, the second highest number of horses, and the second highest number of birds.
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Fundberichte aus Österreich 58/2019, 2021
Fifth preliminary report about the excavations of an roman, migration period and early medieval s... more Fifth preliminary report about the excavations of an roman, migration period and early medieval settlement next to the lake Neusiedl (Fertö-tó) (2nd-7th century AD).
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Archaeological And Anthropological Sciences, 2020
A unique archaeological finding of five individuals buried in an early medieval pit house was dis... more A unique archaeological finding of five individuals buried in an early medieval pit house was discovered in Podersdorf am See (Austria). Three of those individuals were buried in narrow grave pits that had been deepened into the house floor; two of them were lying on the pit floor in a crouched position. Pit houses with six-post construction are known since Roman times and were particularly widespread during the Migration Period. On the basis of radiocarbon analyses of charcoal from the hearth, the use phase of the pit house of Podersdorf am See can be dated to the sixth century AD. The burials took place around the same time in the second half of the seventh century AD, when the house lost its original function. Around that time, regular burials took place in the cemetery in the immediate vicinity of the house. The anthropological examination of the five skeletons showed no significant differences in comparison to the ones that were buried in the cemetery. By means of aDNA analyses, it could be established that at least two of the individuals were closely related to each other.
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Cavada, Enrico; Zagermann, Marcus (Hg.) (2020): Alpine Festungen 400-1000. Chronologie, Räume und Funktionen, Netzwerke, Interpretationen. Münchner Beiträge zur Vor- und Frühgeschichte 68 (München 2020), 2020
If you had been looking to purchase a high-quality belt in the 7th century AD in central Europe, ... more If you had been looking to purchase a high-quality belt in the 7th century AD in central Europe, you would have chosen to buy a Bieringen type belt. In contrast to most other multi-part belt sets from the period Bieringen type belts were made of bronze, not iron. Surprisingly, they were widely spread, from the Carpathian Basin to western Switzerland and from central Germany to southern Italy. Based on the distribution of Bieringen type belts, we can state that the most popular route over the Alps ran through the Trentino and Tyrol regions. Material analyses carried out on the belt fittings show that various alloys
of distinctly different quality were used in their manufacture. The dates previously proposed have been challenged by new radiocarbon dates, which suggest that the earliest specimens occurred both north and south of the Alps as early as the first half of the 7th century.
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Fundberichte aus Österreich 57/2018, 2020
Forth preliminary report about the excavations of an migration period and medieval settlement nex... more Forth preliminary report about the excavations of an migration period and medieval settlement next to the lake Neusiedl (Fertö-tó) (5th-13th century AD).
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Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2020
A unique archaeological finding of five individuals buried in an early medieval pit house was dis... more A unique archaeological finding of five individuals buried in an early medieval pit house was discovered in Podersdorf am See (Austria). Three of those individuals were buried in narrow grave pits that had been deepened into the house floor; two of them were lying on the pit floor in a crouched position. Pit houses with six-post construction are known since Roman times and were particularly widespread during the Migration Period. On the basis of radiocarbon analyses of charcoal from the hearth, the use phase of the pit house of Podersdorf am See can be dated to the sixth century AD. The burials took place around the same time in the second half of the seventh century AD, when the house lost its original function. Around that time, regular burials took place in the cemetery in the immediate vicinity of the house. The anthropological examination of the five skeletons showed no significant differences in comparison to the ones that were buried in the cemetery. By means of aDNA analyses, it could be established that at least two of the individuals were closely related to each other.
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In: T. Kühtreiber/R. Risy/G. Scharrer-Liška/C. Theune (Hrsg.), Leben mit dem Tod. Der Umgang mit Sterblichkeit in Mittelalter und Neuzeit. Beiträge der internationalen Tagung in St. Pölten 11. bis 15. September 2018. Beiträge zur Mittelalterarchäologie in Österreich 35 , 2020
This study presents for the first time the early medieval
cemetery of Podersdorf am See in its la... more This study presents for the first time the early medieval
cemetery of Podersdorf am See in its landscape archaeological,
diachronic context. The interdisciplinary methods applied
show the cemetery in a completely unexpected dense
spatial setting, with additional cemeteries, settlements and
roads, over a time span reaching from the Roman Empire
Period, through the Migration Period to the Middle Ages.
Change in burial customs in Eastern Austria during the
1st millennium AD is discussed based on the case study of
the early medieval cemetery at Podersdorf. Animal bones
and composite bows are among the regular grave goods that
remained in the graves there despite deliberate looting. The anthropological evaluation of the skeletons from Podersdorf
allows these grave goods to be seen from a new perspective.
A special feature was the discovery of a pit house directly
north of the cemetery. The burial of five individuals
inside the building, two of whom were positioned in a
foetal posture, is unusual in this form in the second half of
the 7th century. Using aDNA analysis, it was possible for the
first time to prove family relationships between such „deviant
burials“
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Fundberichte aus Österreich, 2019
Third preliminary report about the excavations of an early medieval cemetery and settlement next ... more Third preliminary report about the excavations of an early medieval cemetery and settlement next to the lake Neusiedl (Fertö-tó) (7th century AD).
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Second preliminary report about the excavations of an early medieval cemetery next to the lake Ne... more Second preliminary report about the excavations of an early medieval cemetery next to the lake Neusiedl (Fertö-tó) (7th century AD).
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
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Papers by Bendeguz Tobias
30 km south of Vienna. Its dating, however, remained unclear. An initial archaeological excavation to clarify the site’s date, preservation, and structure was carried out in
2021. Two small trenches measuring 41 m² and 69 m², respectively, were opened in the northern area. Seven intact graves, containing the poorly preserved skeletal remains of a young adult male, an adolescent probable female, and four subadult individuals buried in an extended supine position and oriented along an east-west axis were excavated. Grave goods associated with the individuals included an iron knife, two sets of earrings, three necklaces made from glass beads, and a bone needle case. These items dated the site to the Avar period with one grave more specifically dating to the late phase of Avar settlement in Eastern Austria. The bioarchaeological analysis revealed a low life expectancy and high child mortality, most likely due to infectious diseases and nutritional deficiencies of which evidence was also found on the skeletal remains. Interdisciplinary archaeological research combined with modern excavation techniques applied to cemetery sites has the potential to vastly improve our knowledge about living conditions, burial customs, and the Avars’ beliefs of life after death. Situated within a dense network of Avar period sites in the Vienna basin, the Obereggendorf cemetery represents the largest Avar period cemetery documented in Eastern Austria to date. The data set from this first archaeological examination is small and therefore not representative of the entire site. However, this data set
not only provides the foundation for further steps, but also for the exploration of both the site’s research potential and protection.
Austria suggest the arrival of a new large-sized cattle population, which has been connected with the
conquest of this area by the Romans and subsequent import of a Mediterranean population. Therefore, recent
documentation of some large-sized cattle remains, similar to those found in the Roman period, already from two
Late Iron Age sites, one even north of the Danube, indicate an earlier presence of this cattle population together
with the typical small-sized Iron Age cattle population. We applied ancient mitochondrial DNA analysis on
fourteen Iron Age and Roman period cattle teeth and bones to find genetic evidence concerning possible cattle
mobility. Our results show the presence of haplogroup T3, a common European haplogroup, for both large-sized
(imported) and small-sized (Iron Age) cattle. For the first time in present-day Austria, our documentation of
haplogroups T1 (common in cattle populations from southern Europe) and T5 (so far recorded only in Italian and
some Croatian cattle populations probably due to Mediterranean influence) in the Iron Age large-sized cattle
provides evidence for cattle imports from the Mediterranean already during the Iron Age.
depressions and comprises remains of small-scale rural installations from three phases between the 2nd and 13th century AD. In contrast with previous studies, which focus on urban sites or villae rusticae, Podersdorf offers the opportunity to examine the Late Antiquity period of transition at a peripheral, small-scale, rural site. In total, 904 animal bones were investigated. Although several features hint at a rural site of producers, such as the dominance of female sheep/goats there are, also indications for animal imports, including a high number of male/castrated cattle and pigs along with the presence of three different cattle morphotypes. Age and sex profiles of the main domesticated species (cattle, sheep/goats and pigs) show a slight emphasis on meat consumption. Chop and cut marks on horse and dog bones indicate cynophagy and hippophagy. Compared with contemporaneous sites in north-eastern Austria, Podersdorf has the highest NISP number of wild mammals, the second highest number of horses, and the second highest number of birds.
of distinctly different quality were used in their manufacture. The dates previously proposed have been challenged by new radiocarbon dates, which suggest that the earliest specimens occurred both north and south of the Alps as early as the first half of the 7th century.
cemetery of Podersdorf am See in its landscape archaeological,
diachronic context. The interdisciplinary methods applied
show the cemetery in a completely unexpected dense
spatial setting, with additional cemeteries, settlements and
roads, over a time span reaching from the Roman Empire
Period, through the Migration Period to the Middle Ages.
Change in burial customs in Eastern Austria during the
1st millennium AD is discussed based on the case study of
the early medieval cemetery at Podersdorf. Animal bones
and composite bows are among the regular grave goods that
remained in the graves there despite deliberate looting. The anthropological evaluation of the skeletons from Podersdorf
allows these grave goods to be seen from a new perspective.
A special feature was the discovery of a pit house directly
north of the cemetery. The burial of five individuals
inside the building, two of whom were positioned in a
foetal posture, is unusual in this form in the second half of
the 7th century. Using aDNA analysis, it was possible for the
first time to prove family relationships between such „deviant
burials“
30 km south of Vienna. Its dating, however, remained unclear. An initial archaeological excavation to clarify the site’s date, preservation, and structure was carried out in
2021. Two small trenches measuring 41 m² and 69 m², respectively, were opened in the northern area. Seven intact graves, containing the poorly preserved skeletal remains of a young adult male, an adolescent probable female, and four subadult individuals buried in an extended supine position and oriented along an east-west axis were excavated. Grave goods associated with the individuals included an iron knife, two sets of earrings, three necklaces made from glass beads, and a bone needle case. These items dated the site to the Avar period with one grave more specifically dating to the late phase of Avar settlement in Eastern Austria. The bioarchaeological analysis revealed a low life expectancy and high child mortality, most likely due to infectious diseases and nutritional deficiencies of which evidence was also found on the skeletal remains. Interdisciplinary archaeological research combined with modern excavation techniques applied to cemetery sites has the potential to vastly improve our knowledge about living conditions, burial customs, and the Avars’ beliefs of life after death. Situated within a dense network of Avar period sites in the Vienna basin, the Obereggendorf cemetery represents the largest Avar period cemetery documented in Eastern Austria to date. The data set from this first archaeological examination is small and therefore not representative of the entire site. However, this data set
not only provides the foundation for further steps, but also for the exploration of both the site’s research potential and protection.
Austria suggest the arrival of a new large-sized cattle population, which has been connected with the
conquest of this area by the Romans and subsequent import of a Mediterranean population. Therefore, recent
documentation of some large-sized cattle remains, similar to those found in the Roman period, already from two
Late Iron Age sites, one even north of the Danube, indicate an earlier presence of this cattle population together
with the typical small-sized Iron Age cattle population. We applied ancient mitochondrial DNA analysis on
fourteen Iron Age and Roman period cattle teeth and bones to find genetic evidence concerning possible cattle
mobility. Our results show the presence of haplogroup T3, a common European haplogroup, for both large-sized
(imported) and small-sized (Iron Age) cattle. For the first time in present-day Austria, our documentation of
haplogroups T1 (common in cattle populations from southern Europe) and T5 (so far recorded only in Italian and
some Croatian cattle populations probably due to Mediterranean influence) in the Iron Age large-sized cattle
provides evidence for cattle imports from the Mediterranean already during the Iron Age.
depressions and comprises remains of small-scale rural installations from three phases between the 2nd and 13th century AD. In contrast with previous studies, which focus on urban sites or villae rusticae, Podersdorf offers the opportunity to examine the Late Antiquity period of transition at a peripheral, small-scale, rural site. In total, 904 animal bones were investigated. Although several features hint at a rural site of producers, such as the dominance of female sheep/goats there are, also indications for animal imports, including a high number of male/castrated cattle and pigs along with the presence of three different cattle morphotypes. Age and sex profiles of the main domesticated species (cattle, sheep/goats and pigs) show a slight emphasis on meat consumption. Chop and cut marks on horse and dog bones indicate cynophagy and hippophagy. Compared with contemporaneous sites in north-eastern Austria, Podersdorf has the highest NISP number of wild mammals, the second highest number of horses, and the second highest number of birds.
of distinctly different quality were used in their manufacture. The dates previously proposed have been challenged by new radiocarbon dates, which suggest that the earliest specimens occurred both north and south of the Alps as early as the first half of the 7th century.
cemetery of Podersdorf am See in its landscape archaeological,
diachronic context. The interdisciplinary methods applied
show the cemetery in a completely unexpected dense
spatial setting, with additional cemeteries, settlements and
roads, over a time span reaching from the Roman Empire
Period, through the Migration Period to the Middle Ages.
Change in burial customs in Eastern Austria during the
1st millennium AD is discussed based on the case study of
the early medieval cemetery at Podersdorf. Animal bones
and composite bows are among the regular grave goods that
remained in the graves there despite deliberate looting. The anthropological evaluation of the skeletons from Podersdorf
allows these grave goods to be seen from a new perspective.
A special feature was the discovery of a pit house directly
north of the cemetery. The burial of five individuals
inside the building, two of whom were positioned in a
foetal posture, is unusual in this form in the second half of
the 7th century. Using aDNA analysis, it was possible for the
first time to prove family relationships between such „deviant
burials“
The paper gives an overview from the Copper Age to the Middle Ages of all graves in which smithing tools were found. Some selected examples from the early Middle Ages are treated in more detail in individual studies. First and foremost, the forge grave of Kunszentmárton in Hungary should be mentioned here, which was restored and chemically analyzed at the Römisch-Germanische Zentralmuseum. This targeted analysis of, for example, the pressed metal models and the Byzantine weights yielded new insights into the chemical composition and use of these tools.
In contrast to many earlier works, which saw enclosed forging tools as a sign of the profession of the deceased, other possible explanations are sought here. In addition to the archaeological findings, epigraphic, iconographic, documentary and historical sources provide the basis for a new interpretation.
Längst ist die Forschungslage eine andere: Materielle Kreisläufe (Stichwort: chaîne operatoire) werden differenziert erforscht – vom Rohstoff zum finalen Produkt und dessen reuse, von der chemischen Zusammensetzung (Materialuntersuchungen/Herkunftsanalysen) zu mensch-lichen Mentalitäten, von der Nachhaltigkeit zur Resilienz, von der archäologischen Prospektion bis zur Fachpublikation.
Die AGSFM lädt dieses Jahr ein, materielle Ressourcen und ihre Nutzung in Spätantike und Frühmittelalter in all diesen Facetten zu reflektieren und Neues vorzustellen.
Folgende Fragen stehen im Vordergrund:
- Welche Rohstoffe wurden wie gefördert, transferiert und verarbeitet?
- Welche materiellen Ressourcen wurden genutzt – welche blieben trotz Vorhandenseins ungenutzt?
- Welchen Stellenwert hatten verschiedene Technologien bei der Produktion und in ökonomischen Kreisläufen?
- Welche Technologien wurden unverändert fortgeführt, verändert oder sind neu entstanden?
- Wie veränderten sich Kulturlandschaften durch materielle ökonomische Praktiken?
- Lassen sich Siedlungsneugründungen, -umstrukturierungen oder -wachstum, angeregt durch die Nutzung von bestimmten Rohstoffen, erkennen?
- Was können wir für heutige Fragen hinsichtlich des Nachhaltigkeitsgedankens lernen und beisteuern (Stichworte etwa: circular economies, Recycling, aber auch Verschmutzung)?
Cfp der AGSFM-Session in Tübingen, September 2023
Deadline: 30. April 2023
https://agsfm.hypotheses.org/829
Cfp for the session of the AGSFM, Tübingen, September 2023. Deadline for abstracts: April 30, 2023.
https://agsfm.hypotheses.org/829
Häufig stehen derzeit Fragen nach der Bewältigung von Fund- und Datenmengen am Anfang wissenschaftlicher Vorhaben. Sie gelten gleichermaßen der Bearbeitung archäologischer Befunde und Funde wie der Bewahrung und Veröffentlichung von Material, Daten und Ergebnissen. Nicht zu vernachlässigen ist hier das Anwachsen des Quellenbestandes, das in der Archäologie von Spätantike und Frühmittelalter ungleich stark die Gräberfelder betrifft. Im Fortgang stehen die konkreten Methoden und Vorgehensweisen auf der Agenda vieler Projekte. Hier hat die Archäologie jüngst viele naturwissenschaftliche Verfahren adaptiert, arbeitet mit neuen technischen Anwendungen und verwendet digitale und virtuelle Programme und Plattformen. Nur, provokant gefragt: Wo sind diese ein Mittel zum Zweck – und ab wann wird das Mittel zum Selbstzweck? Müssen wir befürchten, dass sich die Frühgeschichte den Technologien unterordnet, oder können wir sie vielmehr nutzen, um der Frühgeschichte neue Forschungsperspektiven zu eröffnen – und wie?
2014 fand in Berlin mit „Quo Vadis, Frühgeschichtliche Archäologie?“ eine Standortbestimmung statt, die 2015 in Mannheim um die Frage nach den Reihengräbern – „nutzen wir doch die Quellenfülle“ ergänzt wurde. Daran knüpft die AG Spätantike und Frühmittelalter (AGSFM) in der Sitzung vom 4.–5.10.2021 in Jena an. Hier wollen wir das methodische Instrumentarium des Faches ausleuchten und es in der Diskussion auf ein neues Level bringen. Dabei stellen wir insbesondere folgende Fragen:
• Welche Techniken und Methoden eröffnen der Frühgeschichte neues Forschungspotential? Wie lassen sich naturwissenschaftliche Methoden in der frühgeschichtlichen Archäologie gewinnbringend anwenden? Wo ist die integrative Arbeit gar unabdingbar für das Weiterkommen der Forschung?
• Welche Forschungsfragen entwickeln wir? Welche Geschichten entwickeln wir aus den Resultaten?
• Wie lässt sich allfälligem Konfliktpotential zwischen Methoden/ihrer Anwendung und Forschungsnarrativen konstruktiv beikommen?
• Wie sehen Wirkung und Wahrnehmung dieser Themen in der Öffentlichkeit aus?
But how is early medieval archaeology dealing with all this?
During the onset of research projects, the dominant questions will often concern the management of large volumes of finds and data. This applies equally to the processing of archaeological features and finds and their preservation as well as to the publication of material, data and results. The increase of source material is a related issue which, in the archaeology of Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages, mainly affects cemeteries.
Further down the line, many projects’ agendas feature the methods and processes to be implemented. Archaeology has recently adapted many scientific procedures, is now working with new technical applications, and makes use of digital and virtual programs and platforms. However, to ask provocatively: When are these being used as a means to an end and where are the ‘means’ an end in themselves? Do we have to fear that early medieval archaeology will subordinate itself to the new technologies, or can we use them to open up new research perspectives for early medieval archaeology – and how?
Two preceding sessions, „Quo Vadis, Frühgeschichtliche Archäologie?“ which took place in Berlin in 2014, and „Reihengräber – nutzen wir doch die Quellenfülle!“ (Mannheim, 2015) provided a current assessment of German-speaking early medieval archaeology. In our meeting on the 4th and 5th October 2021, in Jena, we intend to follow up on this discussion. Here, we will examine the discipline’s methodological inventory with the aim of taking it to a new level. In particular, we will ask:
• Which techniques and methods offer new research potential to Early History? How can we use scientific methods fruitfully within Early historic Archaeology? Where is the integrative approach indispensable for advances in research?
• Which research questions do we want to develop? Which stories can we derive from the results?
• How can we constructively set aside conflict potential between methods/their application and research narratives?
• How do public impact and public perception reflect these themes?
It is common knowledge that powerful narratives precede the creation and conveyance of scientific contents. Early medieval archaeology is rife with such storylines: On individual social roles, entire peoples and migrations, violence and decline, Christianity and Paganism. Up until now these have all been feeding into the grand narrative of the Dark Ages. Research is increasingly focusing on and reflecting narratives, questioning the potential of archaeological sources and research data, examining literature, interrogating exhibitions as well as other
forms of communication and reception. It becomes clear that the role of storytelling is much larger that generally accepted, that it influences research and its reception more than we perceive, and that the reflection of narratives may sometimes be overlooked when reviewing sources or methodology.
When things are transferred – put into language – the key role of narratives becomes particularly clear: From idea to research proposal. From excavated structure to interpretation. From scientific data sets to conclusions. From science paper to exhibition and catalogue. From archaeological to popular media – and further into societal and political discourse.
These ‘transferals’ seldom go by without friction and corresponding friction losses. They pose challenges to the persons involved, consciously, or subconsciously. Therefore, the construction, mediation and dissemination of narratives – covering knowledge production, scientific literature, public outreach and popular media – is an important and urgent topic for early medieval archaeology. The same is true for the question of incorporating narratives from other subjects into archaeology (and vice versa).
During two days between the 25th and 29th September 2023, this year’s meeting of the study group Late Antiquity and Early Middle Ages (AGSFM) will give room to these issues. The session will be a forum for new results or projects on these topics. Equally, we strive to identify and discuss related challenges, problems and questions.