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RETHINKING EARLY MEDIEVAL ‘PRODUCTIVE SITES’: WEALTH, TRADE, AND TRADITION AT LITTLE CARLTON, EAST LINDSEY

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 July 2021

Hugh Willmott Open the ORCID record for Hugh Willmott [Opens in a new window]  and
Duncan W Wright Open the ORCID record for Duncan W Wright [Opens in a new window]
Hugh Willmott
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield, Minalloy House, 10–16 Regent Street, SheffieldS1 3NJ, UK. Email: [email protected]
Duncan W Wright
Affiliation:
School of History, Classics and Archaeology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU. Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

The rising popularity of hobbyist metal detecting has provided early medieval scholars with various important new datasets, not least the concentrations of metalwork commonly known as ‘productive sites’. Awareness of these foci derives almost exclusively from archaeological evidence, yet they continue to be interpreted through a documentary lens, and are frequently labelled ‘monasteries’. Using the recently discovered site of Little Carlton, Lincolnshire, as a case study, it is argued that comprehension of metal-rich sites is significantly furthered by turning to archaeologically-orientated research agendas and terminologies. As a consequence, seventh- to ninth-century Little Carlton can be understood as one element of a high-status ‘meshwork’ within early medieval East Lindsey, in which elite power was articulated in the landscape through a number of contemporary centres. On site, archaeology indicates the presence of occupation, burial and craft working, but shows that highly symbolic indigenous practices were taking place too, including intentional deposition into a naturally-occurring pond. Evidence for activity either side of the seventh to ninth centuries also stresses the importance of long-term trajectories in shaping the character of places previously celebrated for their finds-rich phases alone.

Keywords

early medievalproductive sitemetal detectingmetalworksettlement archaeology
Type
Research paper
Information
The Antiquaries Journal , Volume 101 , September 2021 , pp. 181 - 212
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Society of Antiquaries of London

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Footnotes

Contributions from Adam Daubney, Paul Blinkhorn, Sophie Newman, Peter Townend and Graham Vickers

References

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