Outgrowing the Dark Ages: agrarian productivity in Carolingian Europe re-evaluated
Jonathan Jarrett
Despite numerous studies that stand against it, there remains a textbook consensus agriculture in the early Middle Ages was unusually low productive capacity compared to Roman and high medieval periods. The persistence of this view can part be explained by requirement progress narrative economic history for before its after, but is also attributable ongoing effect 1960s work Georges Duby. Duby’s rested on repeated incorrect or inadequate readings his source materials, however, which article deconstructs. Better figures crop yields are available remove any evidential basis belief poorer yield than later eras. cliche must therefore abandoned different development sought.