Historians and archaeologists argue as to whether or not scattered settlements survived in the Early Middle Ages, in contrast to rural agglomerations.
We approach this subject by setting a series of questions, which we believe can provide historical answers in archaeological terms.

What are the economic, social or cultural motivations which determined the end of Roman villae? Moreover, what was the evolution of these properties in terms of their architectural purpose?
What meaning do the remains of continuity take on (production activities, humble structures, burials, cult buildings) in the area of a villa, and what are their relationships?
What archaeological tools can we use in order to understand these remains, often barely visible?

Some academics have stressed that the concept of a village in the Early Middle Ages implies the institutional presence of a chapel and a cemetery, or at least a reference to its taxation system.
Is it possible to archaeologically distinguish centres in which activities of a public or community nature take place, from the dwellings of subordinated individuals who cultivate the surrounding territory?
To what extent did the presence of an institutional building - be it religious or secular - reflect a hierarchical organisation of the architectural structures and the site, with both public and private places?
How should we interpret the function of these villages? Were they inhabited by free farmers, who had escaped the control of rich owners? Or, on the contrary, were they the utmost expression of the aristocracy’s control over the land?
And should we prefer the first theory, through what mechanisms did these settlements become privileged seats of power, first of manorial centres and later of landowning gentry who held close ties with the castles?
Was the choice of an elevated location due to a desire to be recognised and easily distinguished? Or did it instead reflect a need to make use of resources essential for those times: woods, pastures and marshes?

These changes took place in a period when the Western Empire came to an end, and the Germano-Roman kingdoms were established. How did these events affect the evolution of settlements?

These topics will be discussed in introductory papers, and through the presentation of the results of the most recent excavations carried out on a regional scale.

The seminar is part of the project on Early Medieval society and economy in Italy, carried out by the Ecole Française de Rome and the Università di Padova. The results of this project will be presented in an international convention to be held at Padua in February 2005. This is proof of the convention’s high academic level, and is an opportunity to further publicise the event.

The proceedings of the convention will be published in the ’Documenti di Archeologia’ collection, which produces specialised publications on medieval archaeology, and is widely distributed within academic and scientific circles.