About the talk
Drawing on a range of historical, literary, and material sources, this talk investigates how early medieval people experienced foreign environments and how these encounters shaped their identities. It focuses on the period between the seventh and mid-eleventh centuries, when long-distance journeys from England are relatively well attested. Destinations included Ireland, Scandinavia, Rome, the Frankish realms, Byzantium, and the Holy Land. Routes to these and other places exposed travellers to unfamiliar environments, where identities were often challenged, lost, or transformed. Special attention is paid to the value of accurate communication and the risks of miscommunication. By focusing on communicative challenges and identity negotiation, this talk sheds light on how mobility shaped early medieval people’s sense of self and interactions with the wider world.
About Francesca Tinti
Francesca Tinti is Ikerbasque Research Professor at the University of the Basque Country. She is Coordinating Editor of the prominent journal Early Medieval Europe. A leading early medieval historian, she has published extensively on church organization, pastoral care, documentary culture, and relations between Britain and the Continent. Tinti has received funding for numerous research projects from agencies in Italy, Spain and the UK. Her current project examines long-distance travel from England.