Early European Castles ─ Aristocracy and Authority, AD 800-1200

This interesting monograph on European castles examines the archaeological and cultural significance of the rise of castle structures and attendant ideas of martial and political authority in the period between 800 and 1200 CE. Beginning with a discussion of current literature and the historiography of castle study, the work covers topics such as debates in castle research, castles as geographical centers, castles as " theaters of lordship," the development of landscapes and towns, and the rise of seigneury and political structures in Europe. Chapters include black and white photographs as well as maps and archaeological diagrams. Creighton is a professor of archeology at the University of Exeter, UK. Distributed by International Publishers Marketing. Annotation c2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)