Archaeology of Public Estates

Contents

Foreword - Richard Hodges

Introduction

Chapter I - The Pecora river valley and the royal court of Valli

Chronological history of research in a plain

The Vetricella site and the plain between the 8th and first half of the 10th century

Changes between the second half of the 10th and first half of the 11th century

Loss of function and abandonment

Reconstructing the geographical and economic organization of a royal estate

To sum up

Chapter II - The Cornia valley and the royal court of Cornino

History of an apparently invisible royal court

The possible organization of the court, and its subsequent break-up

Other public properties: Gualdo del Re and inland areas

To sum up

Chapter III - The Grosseto Area

The formation of the new landscapes (7th-9th century)

Between the 10th and 11th centuries

Public lands in new (possible) historical scenarios

To sum up

Chapter IV - The religious centres in the hinterland

The royal court and the monastery of San Salvatore al Monte Amiata

The royal court and the monastery of S. Antimo in the Starcia valley

The Canonical Church of S. Niccolò, Montieri

To sum up

Chapter V - A world apart? The mining areas

Rocchette Pannocchieschi

Cugnano

Montieri

Rocca San Silvestro

The island of Elba

To sum up

Chapter VI - Reconstructing the complexity of the case study: clues to a puzzle

The actors involved

Landscapes

Production and circuits of exchange

The timing and rate of change

Chapter VII – Comparisons

Tuscany

The Po Valley area

Chapter VIII - The origins of economic growth

Preamble

An initial acceleration (9th to mid-10th century)

The beginning of the rise (second half of the 10th-first half of the 11th century)

What economic system

The slowdown before a new rise (second half of the 11th-12th century)

Bibliography 

About the Author

Giovanna Bianchi is Professor of Christian and Medieval Archaeology at the University of Siena. Her main interests concern landscapes, social archaeology and economic history. She has directed projects both in Italy and abroad, focusing on studies of early medieval rural economies, the exploitation of mineral resources, castles, and medieval buildings.