The Oxford handbook of Anglo-Saxon archaeology

The Oxford Handbook of Anglo-Saxon Archaeology presents the results of recent research and illuminates those aspects of Anglo-Saxon Studies upon which archaeology has had the greatest impact. The book explores the complex relationship between archaeological, historical, anthropological, and literary methods. Since the early 20th century the scholarly study of Anglo-Saxon texts has been augmented by systematic excavation and analysis of physical evidence — settlements, cemeteries, artefacts, environmental data, and standing buildings. This evidence has confirmed some readings of the Anglo-Saxon literary and documentary sources and challenged others. More recently, large-scale excavations both in towns and in the countryside, the application of computer methods to large bodies of data, new techniques for site identification such as remote sensing, and new dating methods have put archaeology at the forefront of Anglo-Saxon studies.