Research project P4S/251/HARMONIE (Research action P4S)
HARMONIE (Harmignies Research on Early Medieval Origins of Networks, Interaction and Economy) is a three-year research project of the Royal Museums of Art and History (RMAH/KMKG) that aims to re-examine and publish the Early Medieval cemetery of Harmignies. Excavated in the nineteenth century and comprising 349 graves, the site is one of the important archaeological sources for the study of the Merovingian period in Belgium, yet it has never been fully analysed and published according to modern scientific standards. The project seeks to address this gap and position Harmignies within broader European networks of mobility, exchange, and social interaction.
The project has two main objectives. First, it aims to reconstruct the social and material networks of Early Medieval communities through archaeological, bioarchaeological, and digital research methods. Second, it seeks to disseminate the results widely through scientific publications and innovative public engagement initiatives.
To achieve these goals, the project is structured around four work packages. The first focuses on the comprehensive cataloguing of the cemetery, including documentation, photography, dating, and the analysis of the original excavation archives. The second work package is dedicated to specialised research on the material culture, including jewellery, weapons, ceramics, and everyday artefacts. Innovative techniques such as 3D scanning, artificial intelligence for object comparison, isotope analysis, DNA analysis, and iron provenance studies will be employed.
The third work package compares Harmignies with other Early Medieval cemeteries in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and Germany by analysing similarities and differences in burial practices, object use, and social customs. This approach will help reveal how local communities were connected to wider cultural and economic developments across north-western Europe.
The fourth work package focuses on valorisation and public outreach. All 3D datasets will be made available through open-access platforms. In addition, 3D-printed replicas will be developed for educational purposes and for visitors with visual impairments, making this heritage more accessible to a broader audience.
Through HARMONIE, the RMAH aims not only to make a key archaeological site fully accessible to research for the first time, but also to generate new insights into mobility, identity, economic networks, and cultural interaction during the Early Middle Ages. At the same time, the project will strengthen the museum’s digital innovation, international visibility, and societal impact.
