David Petts | Durham University (original) (raw)

Books by David Petts

Anglo-Saxon Studies in Archaeology and History 20, 2017

This volume is based upon a conference convened at the University of Kent in April 2015 to celebr... more This volume is based upon a conference convened at the
University of Kent in April 2015 to celebrate the conclusion
of a major programme of archaeological excavation
targeting the Anglo-Saxon royal centre and monastery of
Lyminge, Kent. The aim of the conference was to contextualize
the principal findings of the Lyminge Project by
drawing upon a range of historical and archaeological
perspectives on early medieval monasticism in northwest
Europe, with a geographical emphasis (though not
exclusive focus) on Kent and neighbouring regions of the
continental North Sea basin. In planning the conference,
the organisers were conscious of following close on the
heels of a number of high-profile academic networks and
initiatives examining the Christianization of the ‘Insular’
British Isles with the spread of monastic culture forming
one of its pivotal themes and institutional contexts.1 On
the other hand, it was felt that the initiative had something
genuinely distinctive to offer by shifting the spotlight of
attention from Northumbria and the Celtic-speaking
regions of the British Isles to Kent, a geographical zone
which has been somewhat neglected in recent evaluations
of Insular monasticism.2 This refocusing, it was hoped,
would offer an opportunity for scholars to come together
to look afresh at Kent as an early medieval monastic province,
to re-evaluate the external (in particular) Frankish
influences that shaped it and its own shaping influence on
the expansion of monastic culture in the Insular British
Isles.

One of the key objectives of the current volume is
to provide a fresh and current overview of the Lyminge
Project and its contribution to early medieval studies at
the end of the data-gathering phase and before the initiation
of a large and complex programme of post-excavation
analysis which lies ahead. For this reason, with the exception
of Broadley’s contribution on the Anglo-Saxon glass,
the editors decided against soliciting additional ‒ or, in the
case of the three speakers who were unable to offer their
papers for publication, replacement – contributions on
the grounds that it would have resulted in an undue prolongation
in the publication process. If the end product
falls some way short of a comprehensive state-of-the-art
review of recent historical and archaeological scholarship
on early medieval monasticism in north-west Europe,
then it is hoped that it provides a useful entry-point into
some of the key debates and research agendas shaping the
field as outlined in the rest of this introduction.

The Oxford Handbook of Roman Britain

Although there is limited evidence for pre-Constantinian Christianity in Roman Britain, it is cle... more Although there is limited evidence for pre-Constantinian Christianity in Roman Britain, it is clear that in the fourth century AD the early church became increasingly widespread, partly owing to the influence of the Roman state. The
archaeological evidence for this includes personal items bearing potential Christian imagery, possible liturgical fonts or
basins, church structures and putative Christian burial traditions. The wider relationship between Christianity and
contemporary pagan religious traditions are explored, and this chapter reviews this surviving material evidence and draws
out evidence for regional variation in the adoption of Christianity. More generally, some of the wider practical and
methodological issues involved in understanding the archaeology of Roman Christianity in Britain are examined,
considering how easy it is to unproblematically identify evidence for Christian practice within late Roman Britain.

Conversion to Christianity was a key cultural process that saw the transformation of Europe from... more Conversion to Christianity was a key cultural process
that saw the transformation of Europe from the Classical
world to medieval Christendom. The study of conversion in the early medieval world has increasingly become a focus of study for both historians and archaeologists, but there
has been a noticeable lack of engagement with the methodological and theoretical problems underpinning any attempt to explore the archaeology of belief. This book, drawing on case studies and examples from sources including the ‘Celtic’ west, Anglo-Saxon England,
Scandinavia and Eastern Europe, tackles these key issues and in particular explores two under-theorised aspects of conversion: the relationship between archaeology and belief, and the ‘pagan’ as a key element in conversion.

Christianity arrived in Wales with the Romans and spread rapidly in the early medieval period. Ev... more Christianity arrived in Wales with the Romans and spread rapidly in the early medieval period. Evidence for its success survives in the form of early stone sculpture and inscriptions, reliquaries and other holy objects and frequent references in historical documents. However, there are also many myths and misconceptions about Christianity in this period, often created in the medieval records of early saints, but perpetuated by later writers. This book explores the archaeology of the early Church in Wales from the arrival of Christianity in the Roman period until the end of the independent Welsh kingdoms in the late thirteenth century. It attempts to disentangle fact from fiction and develop a clearer understanding of the early Welsh Church. It looks at all aspects of religious life in this period from death and burial to the construction of churches and the writing and decoration of manuscripts. Using this information, combined with the historical evidence, the author presents an authoritative overview of the growth and spread of Christianity in Wales. He shows that although the early Welsh Church had some distinctive elements, it was not isolated or out-of-touch but closely linked with the growth of early Christendom elsewhere in the British Isles and mainland Europe.

Funded by English Heritage and undertaken jointly by Durham County Council’s Archaeology Section ... more Funded by English Heritage and undertaken jointly by Durham County Council’s Archaeology Section and the Department of Archaeology at Durham University, the North-East Regional Research Framework for the Historic Environment (NERRF) is a partnership project.

Throughout the partnership's preparation, advice and support has been received from individuals and groups drawn from all elements of the historic environment sector including local societies, amateur and commercial archaeologists, curators of the historic environment and academic archaeologists.

By working together it has been possible to create a commonly agreed framework representing the thoughts and opinions of those whose work brings them into regular contact with the region’s past

The extent to which Christianity affected the society and politics of Roman Britain is subject to... more The extent to which Christianity affected the society and politics of Roman Britain is subject to debate. This well-illustrated study avoids literary evidence, which is often more open to interpretation, to focus on archaeological remains. Petts examines the distribution of early churches, particularly the impact of religious buildings on the rural landscape, and identifies possible fonts and stone cisterns, evidence for the earliest conversions.

Papers by David Petts

Integrating Archaeological and Historical Approaches, 2015

Norwegian Archaeological Review

Rural History

This article examines the role of particular ideas of the countryside in unemployment relief sche... more This article examines the role of particular ideas of the countryside in unemployment relief schemes. While interwar thinking on the countryside has received attention, it has not been examined in the specific context of unemployment relief. This article uses four case studies from North East England, namely the Team Valley Trading Estate (Gateshead), Hamsterley Forest Instructional Centre (Durham), Swarland model village (Northumberland) and Heartbreak Hill (Cleveland). All four projects took different approaches to the unemployment problem, but all used some form of rural rhetoric. The ways in which the projects deployed images of the countryside creatively recombined a wide range of ideas to suit their needs rather than being rigidly confined by particular schools of thought.

Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 13576275 2011 536373, 2011

Christianity arrived in Wales with the Romans and spread rapidly in the early medieval period. Ev... more Christianity arrived in Wales with the Romans and spread rapidly in the early medieval period. Evidence for its success survives in the form of early stone sculpture and inscriptions, reliquaries and other holy objects and frequent references in historical documents. However, there are also many myths and misconceptions about Christianity in this period, often created in the medieval records of early saints, but perpetuated by later writers. This book explores the archaeology of the early Church in Wales from the arrival of Christianity in the Roman period until the end of the independent Welsh kingdoms in the late thirteenth century. It attempts to disentangle fact from fiction and develop a clearer understanding of the early Welsh Church. It looks at all aspects of religious life in this period from death and burial to the construction of churches and the writing and decoration of manuscripts. Using this information, combined with the historical evidence, the author presents an au...

Archaeologies of Remembrance, 2003

Archaeological Journal, 2008

Oxford Journal of Archaeology, 2002

Anglo-Saxon Studies in Archaeology and History 20, 2017

This volume is based upon a conference convened at the University of Kent in April 2015 to celebr... more This volume is based upon a conference convened at the
University of Kent in April 2015 to celebrate the conclusion
of a major programme of archaeological excavation
targeting the Anglo-Saxon royal centre and monastery of
Lyminge, Kent. The aim of the conference was to contextualize
the principal findings of the Lyminge Project by
drawing upon a range of historical and archaeological
perspectives on early medieval monasticism in northwest
Europe, with a geographical emphasis (though not
exclusive focus) on Kent and neighbouring regions of the
continental North Sea basin. In planning the conference,
the organisers were conscious of following close on the
heels of a number of high-profile academic networks and
initiatives examining the Christianization of the ‘Insular’
British Isles with the spread of monastic culture forming
one of its pivotal themes and institutional contexts.1 On
the other hand, it was felt that the initiative had something
genuinely distinctive to offer by shifting the spotlight of
attention from Northumbria and the Celtic-speaking
regions of the British Isles to Kent, a geographical zone
which has been somewhat neglected in recent evaluations
of Insular monasticism.2 This refocusing, it was hoped,
would offer an opportunity for scholars to come together
to look afresh at Kent as an early medieval monastic province,
to re-evaluate the external (in particular) Frankish
influences that shaped it and its own shaping influence on
the expansion of monastic culture in the Insular British
Isles.

One of the key objectives of the current volume is
to provide a fresh and current overview of the Lyminge
Project and its contribution to early medieval studies at
the end of the data-gathering phase and before the initiation
of a large and complex programme of post-excavation
analysis which lies ahead. For this reason, with the exception
of Broadley’s contribution on the Anglo-Saxon glass,
the editors decided against soliciting additional ‒ or, in the
case of the three speakers who were unable to offer their
papers for publication, replacement – contributions on
the grounds that it would have resulted in an undue prolongation
in the publication process. If the end product
falls some way short of a comprehensive state-of-the-art
review of recent historical and archaeological scholarship
on early medieval monasticism in north-west Europe,
then it is hoped that it provides a useful entry-point into
some of the key debates and research agendas shaping the
field as outlined in the rest of this introduction.

The Oxford Handbook of Roman Britain

Although there is limited evidence for pre-Constantinian Christianity in Roman Britain, it is cle... more Although there is limited evidence for pre-Constantinian Christianity in Roman Britain, it is clear that in the fourth century AD the early church became increasingly widespread, partly owing to the influence of the Roman state. The
archaeological evidence for this includes personal items bearing potential Christian imagery, possible liturgical fonts or
basins, church structures and putative Christian burial traditions. The wider relationship between Christianity and
contemporary pagan religious traditions are explored, and this chapter reviews this surviving material evidence and draws
out evidence for regional variation in the adoption of Christianity. More generally, some of the wider practical and
methodological issues involved in understanding the archaeology of Roman Christianity in Britain are examined,
considering how easy it is to unproblematically identify evidence for Christian practice within late Roman Britain.

Conversion to Christianity was a key cultural process that saw the transformation of Europe from... more Conversion to Christianity was a key cultural process
that saw the transformation of Europe from the Classical
world to medieval Christendom. The study of conversion in the early medieval world has increasingly become a focus of study for both historians and archaeologists, but there
has been a noticeable lack of engagement with the methodological and theoretical problems underpinning any attempt to explore the archaeology of belief. This book, drawing on case studies and examples from sources including the ‘Celtic’ west, Anglo-Saxon England,
Scandinavia and Eastern Europe, tackles these key issues and in particular explores two under-theorised aspects of conversion: the relationship between archaeology and belief, and the ‘pagan’ as a key element in conversion.

Christianity arrived in Wales with the Romans and spread rapidly in the early medieval period. Ev... more Christianity arrived in Wales with the Romans and spread rapidly in the early medieval period. Evidence for its success survives in the form of early stone sculpture and inscriptions, reliquaries and other holy objects and frequent references in historical documents. However, there are also many myths and misconceptions about Christianity in this period, often created in the medieval records of early saints, but perpetuated by later writers. This book explores the archaeology of the early Church in Wales from the arrival of Christianity in the Roman period until the end of the independent Welsh kingdoms in the late thirteenth century. It attempts to disentangle fact from fiction and develop a clearer understanding of the early Welsh Church. It looks at all aspects of religious life in this period from death and burial to the construction of churches and the writing and decoration of manuscripts. Using this information, combined with the historical evidence, the author presents an authoritative overview of the growth and spread of Christianity in Wales. He shows that although the early Welsh Church had some distinctive elements, it was not isolated or out-of-touch but closely linked with the growth of early Christendom elsewhere in the British Isles and mainland Europe.

Funded by English Heritage and undertaken jointly by Durham County Council’s Archaeology Section ... more Funded by English Heritage and undertaken jointly by Durham County Council’s Archaeology Section and the Department of Archaeology at Durham University, the North-East Regional Research Framework for the Historic Environment (NERRF) is a partnership project.

Throughout the partnership's preparation, advice and support has been received from individuals and groups drawn from all elements of the historic environment sector including local societies, amateur and commercial archaeologists, curators of the historic environment and academic archaeologists.

By working together it has been possible to create a commonly agreed framework representing the thoughts and opinions of those whose work brings them into regular contact with the region’s past

The extent to which Christianity affected the society and politics of Roman Britain is subject to... more The extent to which Christianity affected the society and politics of Roman Britain is subject to debate. This well-illustrated study avoids literary evidence, which is often more open to interpretation, to focus on archaeological remains. Petts examines the distribution of early churches, particularly the impact of religious buildings on the rural landscape, and identifies possible fonts and stone cisterns, evidence for the earliest conversions.

Integrating Archaeological and Historical Approaches, 2015

Norwegian Archaeological Review

Rural History

This article examines the role of particular ideas of the countryside in unemployment relief sche... more This article examines the role of particular ideas of the countryside in unemployment relief schemes. While interwar thinking on the countryside has received attention, it has not been examined in the specific context of unemployment relief. This article uses four case studies from North East England, namely the Team Valley Trading Estate (Gateshead), Hamsterley Forest Instructional Centre (Durham), Swarland model village (Northumberland) and Heartbreak Hill (Cleveland). All four projects took different approaches to the unemployment problem, but all used some form of rural rhetoric. The ways in which the projects deployed images of the countryside creatively recombined a wide range of ideas to suit their needs rather than being rigidly confined by particular schools of thought.

Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 13576275 2011 536373, 2011

Christianity arrived in Wales with the Romans and spread rapidly in the early medieval period. Ev... more Christianity arrived in Wales with the Romans and spread rapidly in the early medieval period. Evidence for its success survives in the form of early stone sculpture and inscriptions, reliquaries and other holy objects and frequent references in historical documents. However, there are also many myths and misconceptions about Christianity in this period, often created in the medieval records of early saints, but perpetuated by later writers. This book explores the archaeology of the early Church in Wales from the arrival of Christianity in the Roman period until the end of the independent Welsh kingdoms in the late thirteenth century. It attempts to disentangle fact from fiction and develop a clearer understanding of the early Welsh Church. It looks at all aspects of religious life in this period from death and burial to the construction of churches and the writing and decoration of manuscripts. Using this information, combined with the historical evidence, the author presents an au...

Archaeologies of Remembrance, 2003

Archaeological Journal, 2008

Oxford Journal of Archaeology, 2002

Estonian Journal of Archaeology, 2009

European Journal of Archaeology, 2013

This study explores the impact of recent discoveries on our understanding of the transition from ... more This study explores the impact of recent discoveries on our understanding of the transition from the Roman to early medieval periods in northern England. Using the Tees Valley as a case study, it shows how modern interpretations of this process have focused primarily on the afterlife of the military sites in the region. However, the increased identification of significant Roman civilian settlements forces us to reconsider the dominant narratives and rethink the underlying processes that influenced the move from Roman-controlled frontier society in the fourth century to a fifth century society comprising both culturally Anglo-Saxon social groups and sub-Roman successor polities. A wider consideration is also given to how the changing patterns in the use of space and in refuse disposal strategies can be used to shed light on wider patterns of changing social identity in the later fourth century AD.

Estonian Journal of Archaeology, 2009

Overview of recent geophysical survey on Holy Island (Lindisfarne)

Holy Island is a small tidal island lying off the northeast coast of Northumberland. It is best k... more Holy Island is a small tidal island lying off the northeast coast of Northumberland. It is best known as the site of the major Anglo-Saxon monastery founded by Oswald in AD 635. For the first three decades of its existence it acted as a focus of the Irish school of Christianity in the kingdom. However, it weathered the impact of the Synod of Whitby in AD 664, and retained its significance as a key ecclesiastical centre becoming a focus for the cult of St Cuthbert. It is in connection with the establishment of his cult that the Lindisfarne Gospels were probably created. The island suffered one of the earliest Viking attacks on Britain in AD 793. It remained a magnet for Viking raids and in AD 875 the relics of Cuthbert and much of the monastic community began their peregrinations that took them first to nearby Norham, and thence southwards before finally resting at Durham in AD 995. This is traditionally seen as the end of the Anglo-Saxon monastic establishment on the island. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that there was a continued ecclesiastical presence on the island into the tenth century. Figure 1: Holy Island Priory viewed from the east (Photograph: David Petts) The core of the early medieval monastic site almost certainly underlies the post-Conquest priory. These picturesque ruins saw two phases of clearance and basic archaeological recording at the end

Archaeological Journal, 2010

Archaeological Journal, 2009

Internet Archaeology, 2003

Worked in Stone **CALL FOR PAPERS and POSTER PRESENTATIONS** Early Medieval Sculpture in its Int... more Worked in Stone
**CALL FOR PAPERS and POSTER PRESENTATIONS**

Early Medieval Sculpture in its International Context
Saturday 11th Sept to Wednesday 15th Sept 2021
Durham University, UK

https://www.dur.ac.uk/archaeology/conferences/current/workedinstone/

Early medieval stone sculptures that survive across Europe at the wayside, in architectural settings, in churches and graveyards, are an exceptional source for understanding the aesthetics and beliefs of early medieval communities. Standing crosses, inscribed stones, rune stones and grave markers are some of the highly varied forms that exist, spanning Christian and non-Christian societies. These reveal artistic styles, external connections and influences, technological abilities, literacy and commemorative practices. They provide a catalyst for exploring the identity, tastes and ideas of early medieval populations in a time when political connections and religious affiliations were variable and far-reaching.

Celebrating the Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Stone Sculpture, this conference will offer an in-depth comparative investigation of the development and deployment of sculptural work in stone as a European-wide phenomenon, situating these monuments and their production within their local, regional, national and international contexts. Speakers will bridge divides separating northern, southern and eastern European scholarship, and address the interdisciplinary interfaces between archaeology, history and art history, discussing traditions of stone sculpture production and context and providing comparative and contextual dialogue on prehistoric and Classical/late antique traditions. Our aim is to develop novel and significant understandings of the arrival of monumental work in stone in early medieval societies in terms of purpose, influences, connections and meaning.

Confirmed speakers include: Jane Hawkes; Martin Carver; John Blair; Sally Foster; Nancy Edwards; Jane Geddes; David Stocker; Paul Everson; David Petts; Catherine Karkov; Francesca Dell'Acqua; Lilla Kopár and Meggen Gondek.

Proposals are invited for papers and poster presentations that take a comparative perspective and fit the five key conference themes:

Imagery, iconography and symbolism
Memory, commemoration and inscription
Technologies of production
Visual narratives
Sculpture, place and space.

Paper and poster proposals are especially welcome from early career researchers as well as established scholars. Conference papers are 25 minutes max. Poster presentations will be a single A1 poster that summarises a current research project, to be displayed during the conference. Presenters will be available during the conference reception to discuss their project.

To submit a proposal for a paper OR a poster presentation, please submit a title and a 150 word abstract by 30th June 2020 to:

workedinstone.conference@durham.ac.uk

Professor Sarah Semple, FSA

Head of Department
Department of Archaeology
Durham University
South Road
Durham
UK