Objective
Introduction and Rationale:
There can be few sites in medieval Europe that offer so much potential to carry through a detailed investigation into the process of exploitation and production than Novgorod and its region. Its preservation and existing collection is unique, as is the fact that a number of recent hinterland and regional projects have had notable successes in the discovery and excavation of contemporary sites. It is therefore now possible to integrate the results of these discoveries into a unique collaborative venture that will examine this theme.
This opportunity, combined with the fact that Novgorod occupied the position of a Kontor within the Hanseatic League and thus any results have implications on a pan-European scale, ranks it as probably the only site in medieval Europe where such an analysis can take place.
This project will build upon successful collaborative work already undertaken and supported by INTAS in two previous projects namely INTAS-93-463 entitled 'The palaeo-environment of medieval Novgorod and its hinterland' and INTAS-96-99 entitled 'A chronological framework for early medieval towns in NW Russia: the evidence from ceramics and dendrochronology'. Both these projects extended our knowledge of specific scientific aspects of medieval archaeology and have produced numerous publications and reports that have reached a wide European, and indeed global, audience. This project will use these results as a platform on which to build using some teams from previous projects, but also bringing in new teams to extend and deepen the level of analysis that is proposed here.
Objectives
To undertake an innovative project that examines the relationship between an expanding mercantile centre (Novgorod) and its region, using novel methods to measure the way in which the centre exploits and stimulates settlement and technological activity within its zone of influence;
To examine and analyse a range of materials and resources that were obtained from a variety of landscapes in the local and regional territories of medieval Novgorod (10th - 15th centuries), placing them within a detailed environmental context;
To concentrate the above investigations on five selected materials, namely wood, plants, clay, mineral ore, and animal products, following each material from its source to its eventual manufacture into usable items;
To place each of these materials into a landscape and environmental context, linking particular areas within Novgorod land with the specialised procurement of natural materials and resources;
To determine how these materials and resources were selected, exploited and transported to Novgorod and then turned into finished products;
To investigate the location, and quantify the scale of, production, measuring the extent of craft specialisation in a variety of domestic and workshop settings;
To develop a new model for measuring and evaluating the extent of standardisation within particular products, especially those produced for a mass market (e.g. the majority of locally produced ceramics), in order to isolate and better understand both conservatism and innovation;
To examine the level of production and its relationship to the social and economic structure of Novgorod, more specifically to determine the impact that boyars and merchants had on the organisation and control of craft production;
Using previously identified workshops from the excavations within the town (e.g. the metal smith at Property A, Troitsky) to analyse the material in order to determine in detail the nature of craft activity and the level of skill of the artisan;
To integrate the results of this work putting it into a European context and comparing Novgorod Land with other areas within Europe where towns as centres for the exploitation of a region have been studied (e.g. London, York and Lubeck).
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
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Coordinator
BH12 5BB Poole
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.