The twilight zone between the Late Roman and Early Medieval Periods in the periphery of Northern Francia revealed by the dead

The results of the excavation of the Early Medieval cemetery at Broechem has provided us with a great deal of new scientific information (Annaert 2018). Not only are funerary rituals and material culture better understood, but the post-excavation research enables us to use this micro-view of graves and the cemetery to create a broader macro-view of this peripheral region of Northern Francia. The rich dataset from the cemetery shines a new light on Early Medieval socio-economic life and opens the door to launch a debate with the existing traditional paradigms and to create new narratives.