Digging up ancient graves looking for pots to cook in​…

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Robot Emperor R
Robot Emperor Nov 24, 2015 13:50:07
Replying to tiompan

tiompan wrote:
You might find the introduction ,and possibly more , of Mark Whyman's Phd interesting .Google "Late Roman Britain in transition AD 300 -500 " .

Yes , the technology is straightforward ,particularly without a wheel .

Dunno about the evidence for the scavenging ,doesn't Guy provide it ?

More of an aside in a relatively dense book. You know the kind of thing, a lot of research behind a non-descript paragraph. The issue is just outside what are the concerns of the book - how, despite the existence of writing from the Roman Occupation, we are still largely ignorant of the day-to-day lives of those in Roman Britain.

What fascinated me were potential issues of a technocracy and the impact of imperialism. If evidence of an aceramic Post-Roman Britain was anything more than informed extrapolation? Obvious to me now (post in haste etc) that we can never expect anything else from archaeology. Looking at the link you provided (thanks) and others leading from it then it is a tantalising possibility.

T tiompan
tiompan Nov 24, 2015 15:58:33
Replying to Robot Emperor

“we are still largely ignorant of the day-to-day lives of those in Roman Britain.”
Part of the problem of the peasant experience being almost silent until the 18th C .


“If evidence of an aceramic Post-Roman Britain was anything more than informed extrapolation? Obvious to me now (post in haste etc) that we can never expect anything else from archaeology. “

Without the written record , which can be mistaken or wilfully inaccurate (victors etc ) archaeology is often the only recourse we have for retrieving info . Often the archaeological evidence is contrary to the earlier written record .
When there are extrapolations /over-interpretations , they are due to individuals not the discipline , in this case the dissenting voice ,complete with evidence ,was also an archaeologist.