Social networking -- medieval style

A recent study of land transaction records dating back to the 13th century reveals how medieval peasants and lords were connected -- to each other, amongst themselves, and to people beyond their own neighborhoods. The study focused largely on Lot, in southwestern France, an area where a significant collection of legal records escaped the destruction suffered by other regions during the French Revolution of the 18th century. While the data does not yet reveal much about medieval life, the project is impressive, and it's a good start. Who knows what further study will reveal?

Find out more about the French researchers and what they've learned in the article by Geoff Brumfiel at Nature News.