GRILLO, Paolo. Las puertas del mundo. Europa y la globalización medieval

A new perspective on medieval globalization reveals that European trade networks during the 13th and 14th centuries were far more interconnected than previously thought, extending across the Atlantic to L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland and linking Europe with the kingdom of Mapungubwe in southern Africa. Paolo Grillo's study traces the global movement of ivory—sourced from both Arctic walruses and African elephants—as a key commodity that flowed between these distant regions, with European emporia serving as central consumption hubs. By analyzing archaeological evidence, including artifacts from L'Anse aux Meadows, Grillo demonstrates how shifts in trade routes and consumer preferences during the early 14th century—favoring elephant ivory over walrus ivory—reflect broader economic and environmental changes of the medieval period. This challenges traditional narratives of European isolationism, highlighting instead a complex web of transcontinental exchanges that predated modern globalization.

Gutiérrez Martín, C. (2026). GRILLO, Paolo. Las puertas del mundo. Europa y la globalización medieval. Edad Media. Revista de Historia, (27), 629–632. https://doi.org/10.24197/h4vq2p27