Luminescence dating of ceramic building materials: application to the study of early medieval churches in north-western France and south-eastern England

in European Meeting on Ancient Ceramics, London 10-13 September 2009 (in press)

This study focuses on early medieval buildings in England and in France, specifically on those displaying the presence of brick in their masonry. The purpose was to determine whether medieval builders ... [more ▼]

This study focuses on early medieval buildings in England and in France, specifically on those displaying the presence of brick in their masonry. The purpose was to determine whether medieval builders reused Roman salvaged building materials or if the bricks used were contemporary to the building under construction. Thus luminescence dating was applied to bricks sampled from 11 standing Anglo-Saxon or Carolingian churches. The luminescence dates show that the two types of practice were in use in both countries. Where contemporary brickmaking appears to be the case, the study also provided a more precise chronology of the buildings. [less ▲]

Production et utilisation des terres cuites architecturales dans des édifices du haut Moyen Âge: l'apport des méthodes de datation physique

Conference (2011, April)

Les terres cuites architecturales des églises du haut Moyen Age du NW de la France et du SE de l’Angleterre. Application de la datation par luminescence à l’archéologie du bâti

Book published by Archaeopress (2011)

Until the 1960s, early medieval religious architecture suffered from a general lack of interest by the field of archaeology resulting in a real need for the improvement in knowledge of this often ... [more ▼]

Until the 1960s, early medieval religious architecture suffered from a general lack of interest by the field of archaeology resulting in a real need for the improvement in knowledge of this often-misinterpreted art. Initially considered as outmoded or backward, early medieval architecture is actually dynamic, particularly the transition period between the 9th and the 11th centuries marked by its themes of transference and novelty. One of the features of this architecture is the use of ceramic building materials in the masonry, a technique from the Antiquity that can be observed continuing into the 11th and 12th centuries. This architectural characteristic is visible in areas touched by Roman traditions and particularly in north-western France and south-eastern England, which also benefit from a substantial concentration of early medieval buildings. One of the aims of this work is, therefore, to identify similar architectural tendencies and examine the technological choices made in the construction of the buildings under analysis. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to accurately position key-buildings in the architectural chronology. Amongst methods for this, luminescence dating applied to ceramic building materials is particularly attractive. Not only does it contribute to building archaeology through more precise dating, but its use in this specific aim also presents an opportunity to thoroughly test the method and essentially improve its potential. The first part of the study examines aspects of the political and religious contexts of the period between the 9th and the 11th century, as well as the associated architecture and its components. The second part is devoted to the presentation and the definition of the luminescence dating method. Bringing together these elements enables the twelve case studies from French and English sites selected for this chronology research work to be addressed in detail. Finally, a detailed study of the mode of use of ceramic building materials is presented and an interpretation of this architectural choice will be attempted. [less ▲]

Datation par archéomagnétisme des terres cuites architecturales et archéologie du bâti: l’exemple de la tour-clocher de la collégiale Saint-Martin à Angers (France)

Scientific conference (2010, October)

An intercomparison study of luminescence dating protocols and techniques applied to medieval brick samples from Normandy (France)

in Quaternary Geochronology (2010), 5(2-3), 311-316

A luminescence dating study has been applied to inform the history and archaeology of two early medieval buildings in north western France. Five bricks were sampled from the medieval churches (10th–11th ... [more ▼]

A luminescence dating study has been applied to inform the history and archaeology of two early medieval buildings in north western France. Five bricks were sampled from the medieval churches (10th–11th centuries A.D.) of Rugles and Condé-sur-Risle in Normandy. The samples were divided and tested in the luminescence laboratories of the University of Durham (UK) and of Iramat-CRP2A, University of Bordeaux 3 (France). The fine grain and quartz inclusion techniques were applied, and tests included an examination of the anomalous fading of the luminescence signal from fine grain samples and coarse grains of feldspar. With one exception, the dates produced using the fine grain technique, although corrected for fading, were significantly younger than those produced with quartz inclusions. Although most of the corrected fine grain dates were consistent with the medieval construction of the churches, the brick fabric is of Roman type by archaeological assessment, and this is supported by the quartz coarse grain dates. We conclude that the bricks sampled are re-used, likely to be of Roman origin, and that the reliability of measurements with feldspars in brick fabrics requires wider investigation. [less ▲]

Archaeomagnetic study performed on early medieval buildings from western France

Conference (2009, May 25)

Datation par luminescence des terres cuites architecturales : application à l’étude d’églises du haut Moyen Age du sud-est de l’Angleterre et du nord-ouest de la France

Conference (2009)

Architectural ceramics dating applied to medieval building archaeology: the case of the church Notre-Dame-sous-Terre (Mont-Saint-Michel, France)

in Moreau, Jean-François; Auger, Réginald; Chabot, Jacques (Eds.) et al 36th International Symposium of Archeometry 2-6 May 2006, Québec City, Canada (2009)

Il gruppo di ricerca europeo “GDRE-TCA Terres cuites architecturales et nouvelles méthodes de datation. Presentazione dell’attività e primi risultati: datazione di laterizi dalla Chiesa di Saint Philbert de Grand Lieu (Loire Atlantique, Francia)

Conference (2008, February)

Ceramic Building Material in Early Medieval Churches of South East England and North West France: A Scientific Dating Method Approach

Conference (2008)