The Empyr project stems from a contemporary observation: today, innovation is fuelled by the sharing of knowledge and tools in factory incubators, fab labs, and online platforms. These developments are triggering major economic and social transformations. Similarly, during the early Middle Ages, between the late 7th and 9th centuries, northwestern Europe underwent significant political and social mobility, changes in settlement patterns, and technical innovation in craft production. The EMPyr project asks whether those historical dynamics can be compared to our current context, and what role innovators of that era played in these transformations.
Although innovations and changes are documented in the early Middle Ages, the underlying factors remain poorly understood. From a production standpoint, the project aims to explain the mechanisms behind the transformation of pyrotechnologies (glass, ceramics, and iron) and to assess whether these changes were driven by craftspeople themselves or required intervention from elites.
To do this, the project studied various sites of different social status: Oegstgeest (village), Germigny-des-Prés (aristocratic villa), Huy (agglomeration), and Stavelot (abbey). At these locations, glass, ceramic, and iron production occurred between the 7th and early 9th centuries. Selected materials were first examined archaeologically, then subjected to laboratory analyses.
For all the studied materials, the concept of the chaîne opératoire was applied to reconstruct all stages of the production process from raw material procurement to transformation and shaping. By considering the archaeological context and the status of each site, certain technical changes and innovations were identified. A cross-craft approach was also developed to compare these pyrotechnologies and explore intersections in their chaînes opératoires, whether in terms of materials or techniques. The goal was to understand how artisans might have shared knowledge, tools, or materials between crafts.
Finally, the results were contextualized within their broader historical, social, and economic frameworks. Each site was analysed in relation to its surroundings, including natural resources and communication networks. The specific nature of each craft was taken into account, given that the objects produced held different statuses. The project identified where innovations first emerged and how they influenced other craft traditions. While many changes appear to have originated with the artisans, elite intervention was sometimes necessary.
