The contextual value of iron household goods in the late medieval countryside: testimony of the Czech lands
2023
Abstract
Czech rural archaeology is in a unique situation thanks to systematic excavations of well-preserved remains of deserted medieval settlements. The archaeological results have been evaluated from many points of view, yet a number of exciting issues remain undiscussed.
The present study focuses on one of them, the interpretation of iron objects in the context of household archaeology. Considering a selection of sites and different contextual situations, we investigate the problem of value attribution in relation to everyday use, the cleaning of household space, and the 'fate' of the objects during and after catastrophic events.