The first comprehensive reference work devoted exclusively to this dark, but critical, period in the history of Western civilization. * Accessible A-Z format for nearly 200 entries covering the people, places, and events during the fall of the Roman Empire and the birth of early medieval Europe * Detailed chronology of the nearly 1,000 years of the European barbarian era * Maps and photographs covering key events and places * Articles on art, culture, religion, and day-to-day issues such as agriculture, farm animals, diet, marriage, and burial