Apprentice Core Lessons in Medieval Archaeology

The Apprentice Core Lessons in Medieval Archaeology are a set of lessons designed to give the apprentice an introduction to Medieval Archaeology. While this is a vast field, the Apprentice is only concerned in familiarizing themselves with it. In these lessons, the apprentice will refer to Medieval Archaeology: An Encyclopedia, a book that can be found in the Order’s Library under the History Books section. When one has completed these lessons, and with recommendation from their mentor, they may proceed on into the Journeyman portion of the Guild.

These lessons will be a series of short answer questions and essays each covering a wide area of topics. Short answer questions require only a paragraph or two to answer while essays should be at least 500 to 1000 words each, minimum. While most of these will be referenced in the Medieval Archaeology book, it is encouraged for the apprentice to dig a little deeper. With each essay topic taken from the encyclopedia, there are a wide variety of additional reading opportunities. As always cite your sources and if you have any questions, make contact with your mentor. Good luck on this next phase of your lessons.

Familiarize yourself with Medieval Archaeology: An Encyclopedia and answer the following series of short answer questions. Refer to additional reading resources or online materials for more information on each topic.

1) Archaeology and History (pg. 7): Explain the role of archaeology in the study of medieval history. How do they relate? What contributions has archaeology made to field of medieval studies?

2) Barrows (pg. 18): What are Barrows? What role do they play in the study of medieval archaeology? Where are they found?

3) Bohemia: Early Medieval Villages (pg. 28): In this case study, explain how

4) Cashels (pg. 61): Describe Cashels and their use during the medieval era. Where would they be found, and what are some characteristics?

5) Cemeteries and Burials (pg. 66): What evidence of medieval life can be found in cemeteries or by studying burials? What have archaeologists learned from them?

6) Ceramics (pg. 75): Ceramics and pottery play a crucial part in studying the past. How have ceramics aided the study of medieval archaeology? What sorts of things can be learned from studying them?

7) Church Archaeology (pg. 81): Why is the study of church archaeology an important aspect of studying the medieval era? What aspects of medieval life can be gathered by studying this field?

8 ) Cloth (pg. 86). Discuss the nature and use of cloth during the medieval period. What were some developments that occurred during this time period?

9) Coinage (pg. 91): What are some of the difficulties in studying coinage from the medieval era? How did the availability of coinage effect the medieval economy?

10) Cooperage (pg. 98): What is cooperage? Why would one study cooperage in the study of medieval archaeology?

11) Crannogs (pg. 103): What are Crannogs? Where and during what period do we find them?

12) Emporia (pg. 136): Explain Emporia. How does this study contribute to knowledge of the middle ages?

13) England (pg. 173): Describe the implement of archaeology in the study of English history. What are some key places that have been examined?

14) Finland (pg. 154): Describe how archaeology contributed to the study of the Finnish people. What are some key discoveries in Finnish archaeology?

15) Fishweirs (pg. 160): What is a Fishweirs? Describe its history and use during the middle ages.

16) France (pg. 164): Describe the development of medieval archaeology in France. What are some key sites and discoveries made through this study?

16) Germany (pg. 201): Describe the significant aspects of medieval archaeology as applies to the Germanic Tribes and people. What significant sites are part of the archaeological study?

17) Ireland (pg. 258): Describe the significant aspects of medieval Irish archaeology, and how these have contributed to our understanding of Irish history.

18) Ironworking (pg. 267) Describe medieval ironworking. What are some characteristics ironworking centers.

19) Italy (pg. 272): Describe the significant aspects of medieval Italian archaeology, and how these have contributed to our understanding of Italian history. How did Italy change as the middle ages wore on?

19) Jewelry (pg. 284): Describe medieval jewelcraft. Explain the primary resources used to construct jewelry.

20) Lombards (pg. 301): Who were the Lombards. What role did they play in medieval history?

21) Markets (pg. 316): Describe the medieval market system. How does archaeology explore this area of medieval life?

22) Mills (pg. 324): Describe medieval milling technology. What types of grains were processed here?

23) Nautical Archaeology in the Mediterranean (pg. 333): What were some important developments discovered in the study of medieval nautical archaeology? Describe some important medieval shipwreck sites.

24) Netherlands: Describe the significant aspects of medieval archaeology in the Netherlands, and how these have contributed to our understanding of its history.

25) Roads (pg. 405): Describe the road system used during the medieval period. How did it change over time?

26) Roman Empire Collapse (pg. 408): Describe how the collapse of the Roman Empire led to the rise of the medieval period.

27) Scotland (pg. 423) Describe Scotland in the Dark Ages and later medieval period. What are some import sites associated with Scotland?

28) Shipbuilding (pg. 437): Describe medieval shipbuilding technology. How did it differ from place to place in the medieval period?

29) Spain (pg. 455): Describe medieval Spain. How was it different than other areas of Western Europe?

30) Sutton Hoo (pg. 467): What is Sutton Hoo? Why is it important to medieval archaeology?

31) Sweden (pg. 473): Describe the medieval archaeology of Sweden. What are some important sites and areas of interest?

32) Tiles (pg. 484): Describe tile making technology in the medieval period, as well as some of its uses.

33) Venice (pg. 504): Describe medieval Venice. Why was this an importance center during the Medieval Period?

34) Vikings (pg. 539): Describe Viking archaeological sites. What are some of the most important ones discovered?

35) Wales: (pg. 545) Describe medieval Wales. What are some significant archaeological sites there?

36) Water Supply (pg. 529) Describe medieval water supply methods. What are some key aspects of the technology.

Explore three sites in greater detail. Describe where it is, discoveries that were made there, and what was learned by studying it. Why do you think this would be important to include in an encyclopedia of medieval archaeology?

- Bohemia: Early Medieval Villages (pg. 28):

- Bohemia and Moravia: High Medieval Settlement (pg. 31):

- Boss Hall Cemetery (pg. 36):

- Bristol (pg. 40):

- Brno (pg. 44):

- Brunswick (pg. 47):

- Buda (pg. 51):

- Cadbury Castle (pg. 58):

- Chester (pg. 79):

- Corvey (pg. 99):

- Genoa (pg. 198):

- Glastonbury (pg. 209):

- Goudelancourt (pg. 215):

- Hyde Abbey (pg. 251):

- London (pg. 303)

Identify areas of current research in medieval archaeology. Share five of them in your journal being sure to include location, and about new discoveries that have been garnered from site research.

Research the following and write a 500 to 1000 word (minimum) essay for each topic. These are general essays to familiarize yourself with some aspects of medieval life:


1) The Medieval Castle

2) Life in a Medieval City

3) The Medieval Tavern and Inn

4) The role of the Medieval Cathedral

5) Life in the Medieval Church

6) Life in the Medieval Monastery

7) The Life of Medieval Kings and Royalty

8 ) The Life of a Medieval Knight

9) Life on the Medieval Tournament Grounds

10) The Medieval Battlefield

11) The Crusades

12) The Life of the Medieval Merchant

13) The Life of Medieval Tradesman

14) The Life of Medieval Farmers

15) The Life of Medieval Peasantry

16) The Life of the Medieval Pilgrim

17) Medieval Art

18) Medieval Texts

Congratulations for completing the Apprentice Core Lessons in Medieval Archaeology. All that is left is to complete a Reflections Essay on all of the Apprenticeship Lessons. What have you learned? Where do you think you’ll go from here? Are there areas of medieval archaeology that you think you might want to explore more? Share your thoughts in your journal. When you have completed this, touch base with your mentor and seek their recommendation for the Apprentice designation. Good luck on your way to Journeyman!