ABSTRACT
In the early part of the seventh century, gold was imported in quantities that allowed those who controlled it to express their power through donating and displaying it - women with large brooches and men with elaborately fitted swords and belts. Burials show a small number of people accorded very special significance, while the majority had many fewer objects in their graves, indicating a highly ranked social structure and political kingship, also shown by exclusive sites. Christianity spread quickly, and churches placed further demands upon people’s taxation payments in agricultural products. Coinage was reintroduced, initially in units of gold of too high value for ordinary trading but later in silver which was more widely used. The second half of the century saw the foundation of ports in a few kingdoms.
