Marketing. During the Middle Ages, trade and commercial production were usually undertaken by different people, except at the outset of the period. Marketed produce of agricultural origin was the first sign of either economic activity, since the sale of the surplus in essentials for survival first jump-started the medieval exchange economy. Subsequently, production of goods and rendering of skilled services became the bases of most medieval occupations, known collectively as crafts or artisan activities. A general profile of the medieval artisan is difficult to establish, however, for while his contacts outside Europe were relatively limited, the possible variations in his way of life were still broad depending on the type of craft, the location and concentration of his population group, his socioeconomic status, gender, and age.

Historiography. Just to enumerate the myriad walks of life of...