Cemeteries and Society in Merovingian Gaul: Selected Studies in History and Archaeology, 1992-2009 (Brill's Series on the Early Middle Ages)

439 Pages·2009·2.05 MB·English

by  Guy Halsall

Cemeteries and Society in Merovingian Gaul
Brill’s Series on the
Early Middle Ages
(continuation of Th e Transformation
of the Roman World)
Managing Editor
Bonnie Eff ros
University of Florida
Editorial Board
Deborah Deliyannis, Indiana University
Edward James, University College Dublin
Walter Pohl, Austrian Academy of Sciences
VOLUME 18
Cemeteries and Society in
Merovingian Gaul
Selected Studies in History and Archaeology,
1992–2009
By
Guy Halsall
LEIDEN • BOSTON
2010
Cover illustration: Brooch from the grave of King Childeric of the Franks (d. 481),
misinterpreted/reconstructed by the excavator as a writing implement from Anastasis
Childerici I Francorum regis, sive Th esaurus sepulchralis Tornaci Nerviorum eff ossus
et commentario illustratus by Jean Jacques Chiffl et. Antwerp: Plantin, 1655 (MARBL:
Seydel Collection, DC66.C5).
With kind permission of Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library, Emory
University.
Th is book is printed on acid-free paper.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Halsall, Guy.
Cemeteries and society in Merovingian Gaul : selected studies in history and
archaeology, 1992-2009 / by Guy Halsall.
p. cm. — (Brill’s series on the early Middle Ages, ISSN 1386-4165 ; no. 18)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-90-04-17999-8 (hbk. : alk. paper)
1. Merovingians—Social life and customs. 2. Merovingians—Funeral customs and
rites. 3. Merovingians—Antiquities. 4. Archaeology and history—France. 5. France—
Antiquities. 6. Cemeteries—Gaul—History. 7. Burial—Gaul—History. 8. Funeral rites
and ceremonies—Gaul—History. 9. Gaul—Social life and customs. 10. Community
life—Gaul—History. I. Title. II. Series.
DC65.H35 2010
944’.013—dc22
2009042048
ISSN 1878-4879
ISBN 978 90 04 17999 8
Copyright 2010 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, Th e Netherlands.
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For Edward

CONTENTS
List of Figures and Tables ................................................................ ix
Abbreviations ..................................................................................... xi
Acknowledgements ............................................................................ xv
Publication Acknowledgements ...................................................... xvii
Introduction ........................................................................................ 1
PART ONE: HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY
Chapter One. Archaeology and Historiography .......................... 21
Commentary One: Archaeology and its discontents ..................... 49
PART TWO: UN-ROMAN ACTIVITIES: CEMETERIES AND
FRANKISH SETTLEMENT, 1992–2009
Introduction to Part Two .................................................................. 91
Chapter Two. Th e origins of the Reihengräberzivilisation:
Forty years on ................................................................................ 93
Chapter Th ree. Archaeology and the Late Roman Frontier in
Northern Gaul: Th e so-called Föderatengräber
reconsidered ................................................................................... 107
Commentary Two: Careful with that axe, Eugenius ..................... 131
Chapter Four. Childeric’s Grave, Clovis’ Succession, and the
Origins of the Merovingian Kingdom ....................................... 169
Commentary Th ree: Once more unto Saint-Brice ......................... 188
PART THREE: BURIALS, RITUALS AND COMMEMORATION:
THE EVOLUTION OF AN IDEA, 1995–2009
Introduction to Part Th ree ................................................................ 201
Chapter Five. Burial, Ritual and Merovingian Society ................ 203
viii contents
Chapter Six. Burial Writes: Graves, “Texts” and Time in Early
Merovingian Northern Gaul ....................................................... 215
Commentary Four: Ritual and Commemoration .......................... 232
Chapter Seven. Examining the Christianization of the region of
Metz from archaeological sources (5th–7th Centuries):
Problems, possibilities and implications for Anglo-Saxon
England ........................................................................................... 261
PART FOUR: AGE AND GENDER IN MEROVINGIAN
SOCIAL ORGANISATION
Introduction to Part Four ................................................................. 287
Chapter Eight. Female status and power in early Merovingian
central Austrasia: the burial evidence ........................................ 289
Commentary Five: Grave-Goods, Female Status and the
Cemetery of Ennery ....................................................................... 315
Chapter Nine. Material Culture, Sex, Gender, Sexuality and
Transgression in Sixth-Century Gaul ........................................ 323
Chapter Ten. Merovingian Masculinities ...................................... 357
Chapter Eleven. Growing up in Merovingian Gaul .................... 383
Index .................................................................................................... 413
LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES
Fig. 2.1 Analysis of the Origin of the ‘early Germanic’
burial customs ................................................................................ 96
Fig. 2.2 Tutulusfi beln (aft er Böhme 1974, map 6) ................... 100
Fig. 2.3 Germanic settlement? (Aft er Böhme 1974,
pp. 102–3) ....................................................................................... 102
Fig. 7.1 Distribution of lavish male burials (with shield-boss,
spur or horse-furniture) around Metz ....................................... 274
Fig. 8.1 Th e Region of Metz: ‘Central Austrasia’ ...................... 291
Fig. 8.2 Seriation of artefact-types: the example of Ennery .... 295
Fig. 8.3 Artifactual sexing of graves: Th e example of
Ennery ............................................................................................. 296
Fig. 8.4 Gender associations of artefact-types in central
Austrasia ......................................................................................... 297
Table 11.1 Venantius’ epitaphs showing marital status and
age at death .................................................................................... 411
Table 11.2 Inscriptions from St-Matthias, Trier, mentioning
marriage or children ..................................................................... 412