Means of Exchange
Dealing with Silver in the Viking Age
A part of the series Kaupang Excavation Project Publication Series (2) , and the subject area Archaeology
Edited by
Dagfinn Skre
With contributions by
Mark Blackburn,
Birgitta Hårdh,
Kenneth Jonsson,
Christoph Kilger,
Unn Pedersen,
Lars Pilø,
Gert Rispling and
Dagfinn Skre
More about the book
About the book
This second volume on the excavations of the Norwegian Viking town Kaupang 2000-2003 presents find types used in economic transactions - coins, hacksilver, ingots, weights and balances. Changes in type and volume of economic transactions at Kaupang and in Scandinavia are discussed, and the economic mentality of Viking crafts- and tradesmen is explored.
In the early ninth century, silver and goods seem to have come to Kaupang mainly from the Carolinigian world. After the mid-ninth century this early system was altered. The increased availability of silver and the introduction in most of Scandinavia in the 860s-870s of standardized weights, paved the way for an increased use of silver as payment.
The combined study of the find types and the sophisticated chronology of settlements' finds from sites like Kaupang give completely new insight into economy and exchange. The book demonstrates how sites like Kaupang led the way in economic development in Scandinavia and promoted an economic mentality that eventually led to the fundamental transformation of Scandinavian culture and society and culminated in the region's integration in High Middle Ages Christian Europe.
Sanne Lind Hansen
MA in ethnography and classical archeology and trained at the Danish School of Journalism. Sanne primarily works with anthropology, archeology and early history. She is also responsible for foreign sales and commission agreements, and she was once employed at the National Museum (Antiquities).
Press reviews
Jens Ulriksen Roskilde Museum Arkeologisk tidsskrift Primitive tider
"Med udgivelsen af andet bind af oprindeligt seks planlagte bøger er Kaupangprojektet godt på vej til at gøre det umulige: at få offentliggjort resultaterne af en stort anlagt forskningsgravning på en af vikingetidens navnkundige lokaliteter uden årelange forsinkelser. Samlet set er andet bind af Kaupangserien et ligeså glimrende værk som bind 1. Det er en pæn bog med gode illustrationer og kort, hvilket er redaktøren og forlaget til ære. Samtidigt er teksterne forbilledligt læsevenlige med et ensartet, let forståeligt engelsk. Det er ligeledes flot, at man kan holde udgivelsestakten, og selv om bind 6 er aflyst, er der grund til at glæde sig til de kommende publikationer."
Jens Christian Moesgaard KUML 2009
"Men der er så sandelig også meget af fordøje i dette - både i bogstaveligste og i overført betydning - vægtige værk! Det er et veritabelt festfyrværkeri af nyt, både hvad angår fakta og tolkninger.
Dette værk står i alt fald ikke i fare for at blive glemt i fremtidens bibliometriske målinger!"
