FOOD AND FAITH IN ANGLO SAXON ENGLAND, THE CHALLENGES OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH
Channel: European Association of Archaeologists
Date: 2020-10-11

The sixth to eighth centuries in Europe and the significant political, social and economic changes during this period, present an interesting set of challenges for scholars. These challenges are multi-scalar and go beyond the remit of any one discipline. Questions surrounding the catalysts and progress of such changes are complex, and scientific techniques such as stable isotope analysis and ancient DNA may offer new avenues for approaching them. This paper uses the case study of the Christianisation of Anglo-Saxon England to explore how biomolecular archaeology when used in conjunction with funerary archaeology and history can help elucidate some of these processes in the long seventh century and beyond. This paper will present stable isotope data in conjunction with funerary evidence to see how and if changes in diet and mobility align with the conversion and Christianisation of Anglo-Saxon England. It will also explore the unique challenges and advantages of this kind of multi and interdisciplinary research, reflecting on best practice for collaborations with other disciplines and creating a multi-scalar and multi-proxy research project of this nature.
Changes in burial practice and diet through time and space will be explored, looking at multi-proxy tooth and bone collagen samples to also investigate individual change over life course. This will demonstrate how the Early Medieval ‘Fish Event Horizon’ was not purely a c.1000 AD phenomenon but actually had its beginnings in the seventh century, and possibly earlier, beginning with fresh water fish consumption and moving towards increased marine resources. This alongside other kinds of data will be used to argue for a very dynamic long seventh century with Christianity playing a small role in a larger pan-European transition towards a different socio-economic model.

Author(s): Leggett, Samantha (University of Cambridge)