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Graham! >One supplementary question, please, Ingegerd, about the central farms/ritual >centres. Do you only count cases with all, or a minimum number of diagnostic >features, or is one feature sufficient for inclusion in the list? In my thesis I have used just onomastics (place-names) and written sources, as one of the points of it was to test independently an assumed link between high-status farms and imported objects, and I was also dealing with a large number of farms (over 500). Obviously, there are degrees of certainty involved here, and the more features you can include, the greater reliability can be attached to the interpretation. Some people apply very strict standards when using a methodology such as this one, and would probably demand that, say 4 of 5 criteria should be fulfilled. I prefer a more fluid and intuitive approach, but would ideally prefer at least 2 features pointing strongly in the same direction. You would be surprised to see how often they do! I look forward to replies to your comments about the Anglo-Saxon monasteries - the more I think about it, the more fascinating I find the involvement of the church with private landowners and the established power structures in the early days. And the more doubtful I become of the sometimes proposed revolution and upheaval that the introduction of Christianity brought with it. Ingegerd H. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%