Landscape Section - Conference and AGM 2006
'New perspectives on the Saxon settlement of Hampshire'
Dr Nick Stoodley, University of Winchester
Abstract
The talk will consider new archaeological discoveries that are changing the way we view
and understand the Saxon settlement of Hampshire in the 5th and early 6th century AD.
During the last decade or so excavations and the activity of metal detectorists have revealed
evidence for an earlier phase of Saxon involvement in the county than previously believed.
This will be compared to the situation in the Saxon homelands in order to examine the strength
of the link which existed between the two regions. Moreover, the Saxon evidence is being
discovered in close association with late Roman sites, a finding which may suggest that the
earliest settlers from north-west Germany were being accommodated into a landscape and
administrative system that was being maintained by elements of the sub-Roman population.
A number of different possible explanations for this will be discussed.
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