From wic to burh: a new approach to the question of the development of Early Medieval London

Abstract

ABSTRACT During the ninth century the focus of occupation in Saxon London shifted eastwards from the Covent Garden area back to the former Roman city of Londinium. Combining detailed case studies with the results of correspondence analysis, this paper critically compares archaeological features and assemblages at sites dated c. AD 770 to c. AD 850 in Middle Saxon Lundenwic with sites dated c. AD 850 to c. AD 950 in Late Saxon Lundenburh. Differences in the archaeology of the two settlements are discussed. These distinctions reveal specific areas of discontinuity that strongly support current models of a hiatus between the decline of Lundenwic and renewed activity in Lundenburh.