10th century peasant houses and household goods: The potential and limitations of the archaeological record from Beira Alta (Portugal)

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

During the excavations of four rural settlements dated from the 10th and beginning of the 11th centuries in the centre-north part of Portugal, the identification of several domestic units provided the opportunity to understand a little more about household goods and the peasant houses themselves. Although the huts/houses were built exclusively with perishable materials, the sites were burnt, which enabled the preservation of organic matter, including building materials, possible household objects and fuel for domestic hearths. Ethnographic models were essential to understand the architecture and dimension of these ‘ghost houses’. Relations of spatiality/proximity of the goods to fireplaces have also permitted the study of the household goods in these huts/houses to identify some of the activities that the family carried out within these spaces and conceptualise their internal organisation
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationHousehold goods in the European Medieval and Early Modern countryside
EditorsCatarina Tente, Claudia Theune
Place of PublicationLeiden
PublisherSidestone Press
Pages51-59
Number of pages10
ISBN (Electronic)9789464270617
ISBN (Print)9789464270600
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023

Keywords

  • Iberian Peninsula
  • Huts
  • Household goods
  • Ethnography
  • Social organisation

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