Archaeological Exhibitions and the Responsibilities of Storytelling : A Case Study on the Early Middle Ages

In German-speaking archaeology, recent theoretical debate has led to the challenging of several long-standing narratives – centring amongst others on peoples, mobility or violence. Implementing these changing narratives within exhibition concepts proves to be a tightrope walk. Drawing from exhibitions and exhibition catalogues from the last few decades, this paper will highlight the use, role, and problematics of these narratives within early medieval archaeology. In order to find productive ways forward, I will present some ideas on how to confront these problems and how to present complex narratives to the public.