The Long Millennium: Affluence, Architecture and Its Dark Matter Economy

Long-distance trade in luxury items such as diamonds, gold, cinnamon, scented woods, ivory, and pearls played a foundational role in the creation of global trade in the first millennium CE. The book "The Long Millennium" explores this complex relationship and its impact on medieval society. It argues that the trade in luxury goods generated upstream affluence, which manifested in the creation of shrines, palaces, temples, and engineering works. However, the collapse of the dark matter economy was due to the cumulative energies of colonialism, modernization, and nationalism.

Format: Hardback
Length: 316 pages
Publication date: 01 December 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The book explores the intricate relationship between long-distance trade in luxury items and the emergence of global trade in the first millennium CE. It introduces the term "dark matter economy" to describe this largely invisible economic system. The book demonstrates how this trade facilitated the creation of affluence in various regions, leading to the construction of impressive architectural wonders such as shrines, palaces, temples, and engineering works. These structures not only enriched the physical landscape but also served as powerful symbols of memory, control, and extraction. Furthermore, the book delves into the collapse of the dark matter economy due to the cumulative forces of colonialism, modernization, and nationalism, which make it challenging for us to comprehend this historical period.

The Long Millennium is an invaluable resource for students and scholars interested in the trade networks and economics of the early Middle Ages, as well as those seeking to understand the impact of trade on medieval society in the first millennium CE. It offers a comprehensive and insightful analysis of a crucial period in world history.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032244143