During the early medieval period the Slavs expanded from their original homeland to colonize vast areas and to found most of the modern nations in Eastern Europe. With first-hand knowledge of the archaeology and other sources, the author creates a vivid picture of daily life in early medieval Eastern Europe from the early fifth to the end of the tenth century AD, a period of profound transformation. The final chapter sets the early medieval developments into the perspective of the history and culture of modern Europe. A series of specially compiled maps chart the main cultural changes taking place over six centuries in this relatively unknown part of Europe.