ABSTRACT
The archaeological investigation of medieval rural settlement now involves a number of commonly agreed procedures which produce the most meaningful results and it may be useful right from the beginning to itemize them. History, ethnography, toponymy, and architectural and art history are more important for the study of later periods; on the other hand, cooperation with the natural sciences is particularly useful in the earlier phases of medieval settlement. The research objectives of the Department for Medieval Archaeology centre on several sample regions in which there is systematic surface observation of both the landscape and places threatened by industrialization or building activity. Thus the investigation of the Czech medieval period has been carried out in close association with studies of landscape, economy, and spiritual life. Affinities in the subject matter of both Czech and British medieval archaeology can be seen best in the aims of landscape study.
