Archaeology of early medieval peasantry in the Basque Country: Landscapes, economic trends and societal change in Álava

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyse early medieval economic trends and social change in the Basque Country, using a bottom-up approach that includes multiproxy archaeological evidence. Though comparisons will be made with other Northern Iberian areas, the study focuses on the 3,000 km2 Basque province of Álava, where research has been intense in the last decade. The work primarily relies on records of settlement patterns, paleoenvironmental evidence, field systems, livestock management, food patterns and crop production. Diachronic study of farming and livestock practices show patterns of socio-political interaction between local communities and elite agency in the Early Medieval Age. The main topics analysed are the emergence of local communities, the nucleation process, the use of common resources, the agency of village leaders and the formation of lordships.