IoA/BM Seminar Lewis, Oksanen

Dr Michael Lewis (British Museum) and Dr Eljas Oksanen (UCL IoA): Medieval markets and fairs seen through the Portable Antiquities Scheme data

The Portable Antiquities Scheme database (www.finds.org.uk) records archaeological objects discovered by the public, mostly by metal detecting, and to date contains records of over 150,000 medieval finds. Based on the results of a research project hosted at the British Museum, this paper will explore how the PAS finds data offers significant new avenues of investigation for understanding the history of medieval markets and fairs in their local and regional contexts. It will examine ways to understand the growth, development and decline of medieval commercial sites c. 1100 - c. 1350 in England through interdisciplinary approaches and GIS-led analyses of archaeological material and documentary sources.

Followed by a summer party in the Staff Common Room