Publisher's Synopsis
This book takes a comparative approach to the study of early medieval churches, drawing together archaeology, history, architecture, and landscape studies in order to explore the relationship between church foundation, social power, and political organization across Europe. Key subjects addressed include the role played by local elites and the importance of the church in buttressing authority, as well as the connections between archaeology and ideology, and the importance of individual church buildings in their broader landscape contexts. Bringing together case-studies from Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, France, the British Isles, Denmark, and Iceland, this volume offers new insights into the relationships between church foundations, social power, and political organization.
