Tools and Methods used to Study the Crusades
The history of Crusades has been studied by the use of different interdisciplinary; this includes the participation of art historians, theologians, archeologists among other disciplines methods to ascertain the period, and the people who were involved.1 A case in point is the study of specific happenings during the Crusades to provide a big picture of the historical organization and time. For example, in the study of the Crusader Castle of Vadum Iacob,2 geoarchaeological method and analysis of artifacts were the main methods used to understand the Crusades. The artifacts were excavated and subjected to analysis to obtain accurate information about the happening. The geoarchaeology incorporated archeoseismology. Therefore, the following paper explores the use of geoarchaeology and analysis of the artifacts to study Crusades with a key focus on the Crusader Castle of Vadum Iacob.
Type of Information that can be Discovered Using the Tools and Methods
Geoarchaeology is an interdisciplinary method that encompasses geography, archeology, history, and scientific processes to obtain information. It involves the excavation of identified points on the earth’s surface to examine the evidence relating to the happening being studied. In the case of the Crusades, the type of information that can be discovered is the probable dates of the Crusades, the type of people involved, and the rationale for the happening. Geoarchaeology also entails the study of archeoseismology which allows understanding the occurrences of past earthquakes in the region and their effect on the historical evidence. For instance, the assessment of the faulting in the area around the Castle of Vadum Iacob enabled the establishment of accurate dates of the Crusades.
Artifacts discovered after excavation are used to provide information through contextualization and theorization. The excavation of various locations at the castle led to the discovery of equid remains that provided archeological evidence of the attackers and the people who were in the castle.3 The articulated skeletons of pigs with numerous arrowheads signify information of a religious castigated attack as Muslims consider the pigs to be unclean animals which prompted their killings. Muslims could not have stayed with pigs in the castle. Also, working tools scattered around such as hoes, spades, picks all made of iron showed that the castle was under construction at the time of the attack.
Role of the Methods
Both the geoarchaeological and analysis of artifacts methods are used to exemplify the key people involved in the Crusades and the time. The archeoseismology shows the earthquakes that must have taken place after the destruction of the castle. This is evidenced by the displacement of the walls. The Muslim mosque unearthed on the northern side of the castle had displaced wall, a pointer of the earthquakes that happened after the Crusades. Also, the study of the pottery shows that the mosque was rebuilt at least two times, a possible suggestion of the effect of the earthquakes. The discovery of the copper coin TVRRIS DAVIT enabled historians to understand the political leadership at the time and the probable people who might have minted the coins.4 For instance, Sabine’s theory is largely used to explain why the coin must have originated from the Frankish kingdom rather than the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem.
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Methods
Geoarchaeological approaches to the historical study of artifacts are crucial in the gathering of crucial information; however, the methods may not provide precise information and sometimes are subject to interpretation bias. For example, the use of the geoarchaeological method in which archeoseismology is incorporated helped the researchers to understand the seismic movements; this is crucial for archeologists as they excavate the earth to collect important remains. Also, the method helps in the possible prediction of the occurrences of earth events and hence can be used in determining the possible time an event occurred. However, the key weakness of the method is that it is based on estimation. The interdisciplinary nature of the method makes it cost-intensive.5
On the other hand, historical analysis of the artifacts provides a true case scenario and there is high precision. This helps to avoid the process of affabulation witnessed in the past which was based on imagination rather than the historical reality.6 For example, the discovery of tools in the castle, and the equid remains all can be scientifically examined to determine their origin and age. However, a key weakness with historical analysis is the theorization which is used to rule out some probable occurrences. For instance, the use of the inscription TVRRIS DAVIT on the coin to determine its source may be biased as it is purely based on a deductive method that does not put in place the political relations that could have existed between the Kingdoms.7
How the Methods Work to Enhance Our Understanding of the History of Crusades
The combination of the geoarchaeological and analysis of artifacts methods pull together data from different sources which helps us to draw comparisons that are critical in understanding the crusading history. For example, the dates obtained from archeoseismology can be compared with existing records of the existence of the various kingdoms and knighthoods to have a clear period of the Crusades. Also, the analysis of the remains obtained after excavations such as the equid remains, the construction tools, and the coins help historians to understand the context of the various happenings.
Bibliography
Constable Giles. The Crusades from the Perspective of Byzantium and the Muslim World: The Historiography of the Crusades. Washington, D. C: Dumbarton Oaks, 2001.
Jotischky Andrew. Crusading and the Crusader States. New York: Pearson, 2004.
Kool Robert. “From the Horse’s Mouth: Re-Dating the Anonymous TVRRIS DAVIT Issue.”Israel Numismatic Research, no. 6 (2006): 2-7. Web.
Vadum Iacob Research Project. Web.
Footnotes
1 Andrew Jotischky, Crusading, and the Crusader States (New York: Pearson, 2004), 3.
2 “About,” Vadum Iacob Research Project, Web.
3 “Archeological project,” Vadum Iacob Research Project, Web.
4 Robert Kool, “From the Horse’s Mouth: Re-Dating the Anonymous TVRRIS DAVI Issue,” Israel Numismatic Research, no. 6 (2006): 2-7, Web.
5 Andrew Jotischky, Crusading, and the Crusader States (New York: Pearson, 2004), 3.
6 Giles Constable, The Crusades from the Perspective of Byzantium and the Muslim World: The Historiography of the Crusades (Washington, D. C: Dumbarton Oaks, 2001), 5.
7 Ibid.