A groundbreaking study detailing what archaeology can tell us about the middle-ages. The study of government in Britain and North-West Europe during the middle ages has traditionally been the monopoly of historians. In this remarkable book the author shows what archaeology can contribute to the overall picture of medieval society. In particular he looks at two areas: the objects, such as costume, crowns, thrones and sceptres which were vital symbolic elements in complex liturgical and ideological systems and the buildings, palaces, castles, monasteries which were created by powerful elites and provided the space within which symbolic functions were played out.