North and South: New Directions in Medieval European Archaeology

This session provides a forum for promoting advances in medieval archaeology, particularly relating to inter-disciplinary and inter-regional approaches, new theoretical frameworks, methodologies and research agendas. The session is split between southern and northern Europe (in the broadest geographic sense, including frontiers, seascapes and neighbouring regions), recognizing the artificiality of sub-divisions within the timeframe of the "Middle Ages", whilst acknowledging modern geographic research parities. Recent developments within the field have contributed to a step-change in the discipline. These have included multiple applications of scientific techniques, sophisticated theoretical paradigms and inter-regional research frameworks moving beyond particularism, whilst recognizing the importance of local context. This has been partly driven by increasingly international research networks facilitating more supra-regional communication, moving beyond out-dated nationalistic modes of thought. Alternative material histories have prompted the reconsideration of traditional narratives embodied in the perception of the European medieval past. This has brought northern and southern European scholars, as well as those archaeologists working internationally, towards a common nexus, although significant barriers still remain to be overcome. The aim of the session is to contribute to this process on the highest international level, capturing these new directions and promoting them with participants from both Europe and North America.