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Skeletal evidence of the social persona. Life, death and society in early medieval Alamannic communities
Speith, Nivien
Speith, Nivien
Publication Date
2012
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The University of Bradford theses are licenced under a Creative Commons Licence.
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Accepted for publication
Institution
University of Bradford
Department
Division of Archaeological and Environmental Sciences
Awarded
2012
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Abstract
Historic-archaeological research on the Alamanni, an early medieval population in
the periphery of the Frankish Empire, primarily focuses on themes such as their
military character or issues of ethnicity, while the actual functioning of Alamannic
societies remains conjectural. Aiming at presenting an integrated approach to the
concepts of social organisation and social identities in Alamannic populations, this
study examines and defines Alamannic identity and society by creating a dialogue
between the disciplines of archaeology, biological anthropology and socio-cultural
sciences.
A bioarchaeology of identity explores the Alamanni of Pleidelsheim and Neresheim
via their funerary and skeletal evidence, allowing for the factor of different
environments that influence the interactions of a community. A key theme is the
investigation of indicators for biological and social "status" by direct association of bioanthropological with funerary archaeological data, as well as by evaluation of present interpretations made from material culture in the light of
bioanthropological analysis as a paramount focus. The results are interpreted in terms of social status and the perception of certain social parameters, exploring
interrelations between factors such as sex and gender, age, status and activity for the entirety of a society.
This research offers new perspectives on Alamannic societies and helps to
comprehend Alamannic social organisation as a multi-layered phenomenon, emphasizing the importance of a biocultural approach. Beyond common
perceptions, this study forms the basis for a new understanding of the Alamanni, as the results reveal a society that was complex and diverse, displaying its own
characteristics in the Merovingian world.
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Type
Thesis
Qualification name
PhD