Travelscapes

Roads have always been addressed as formidable channels through which people, goods, news, ideas and cultures are transferred. They are means through which social, economic and cultural patterns are conveyed, and through which languages, traditions, religions, habits, fashions, musical practices and material culture are transmitted. Medieval road networks have been studied mainly in their devotional meaning as pilgrimage routes. Innumerable publications investigated these aspects and highlighted the role played by these medieval ‘highways’ in building up the European cultural identity. Here a completely new approach will be applied to the study of communication networks in the past, focusing on the transitional period between the end of the Roman power and the rise of Carolingian power. Theoretical and methodological issues are addressed, discussing the application of Environmental Behavioural Studies, Phenomenology, Social Theory, Identity Studies and other innovative approaches to the study of road networks of the past.