ABSTRACT
The concepts identity, region and heritage are embedded in complex discourses that span multiple fields of research. Their positioning, application and interpretation has changed in the course of time and reflect larger changes in the discourse of such disciplines as geography, history, heritage studies, archaeology, anthropology and sociology. Long before the concept of regional identity came to be widely used; it was common practice to relate historic places, landscapes and other heritage to regions and to the identity of people. The chapter discusses early medieval heritage in two regions in depth – Alsace in France and Euregio Meuse-Rhine – whose territory extends to several countries, as they both have strong presence in historical studies on the Carolingian era. It analyses how heritage from this period has played a role in the narratives of regional identity in the past and how it continues to do so today. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
