ResearchforandthewritingofthisbookwasfundedbytheawardofaLeverhulmeTrustMajorResearchFellowship.Theperiodc.AD300--1050,spanningthecollapseofRomanruletothecomingoftheNormans,wasformativeinthedevelopmentofWales.LifeinEarlyMedievalWalesconsidershowpeoplelivedinlateRomanandearlymedievalWales,andhowtheirlivesandcommunitieschangedoverthecourseofthisperiod.Itusesamultidisciplinaryapproach,focusingonthegrowingbodyofarchaeologicalevidencesetalongsidetheearlymedievalwrittensourcestogetherwithplace-namesandpersonalnames.Itbeginsbyanalysingearlierresearchandtherangeofsources,thesignificanceoftheenvironmentandclimatechange,andwaysofcalculatingtime.Discussionofthefourth,fifth,andsixthcenturiesfocusesonthedisintegrationoftheRomanmarketeconomy,fragmentationofpower,andtheemergenceofnewkingdomsandelitesalongsideevidenceforchangingidentities,aswellasimportantthreadsofcontinuity,notablyLatinliteracy,Christianity,andthecontinuationofsmall-scalefarmingcommunities.EarlymedievalWaleswasanentirelyruralsociety.Analysisofthesettlementarchaeologyincludeskeysitessuchashillforts,includingDinasPowys,theroyalcrannogatLlangorse,andtheVikingAgeandearlierestatecentreatLlanbedrgochalongsidethedevelopment,fromtheseventhcenturyonwards,ofnewfarmingandotherruralsettlements.Considerationisgiventochangesinthemixedfarmingeconomyreflectingclimatedeteriorationandaneedforfoodsecurity,aswellascraftworkingandtherolesofexchange,display,andtradereflectingchangingoutsidecontacts.Atthesametimecemeteriesandinscribedstones,stonesculptureandearlychurchsiteschartthecourseofconversiontoChristianity,theriseofmonasticism,andtheincreasingpoweroftheChurch.Finally,discussionofpowerandauthorityanalysesemergingevidenceforsitesofassembly,theriseofMercia,andincreasingEnglishinfiltration,togetherwiththesignificanceofOffa’sandWat’sDykes,andtheVikingimpact.ThroughouttheevidenceisplacedwithinawidercontextenablingcomparisonwithotherpartsofBritainandIrelandand,whereappropriate,withotherpartsofEuropetoseebroadertrends,includingtheimpactsofclimate,economic,andreligiouschange.
ECONOMIC WALES fifth DISPLAY AD300 LIFE
