Social Change in the North Central European Plains, 600–900s CE: Archeological Data

Abstract

In this chapter, I review the archeological data on social stratification in seven provinces of the North Central European Plain, 600–900s CE, exemplified by status items such as jewelry and weaponry and changes in settlement patterns, especially the emergence of forts. Diversification in the assortment of material culture related to the appearance of status items suggests the emergence of a social structure characterized by variety of social statuses and the presence of (tenured?) leaders, instrumental in the rise of social complexity. The region-wide appearance of such objects corresponded with the emergence of fortified settlements, especially with a network of similar in size and heavily fortified strongholds, vital elements of a multi-agent political organization identified as the Tornow Interaction Sphere.