Abstract
The late seventh-century introduction of silver coinage marked a transformation in the economy of north-west Europe, yet the source(s) of the silver bullion behind this change remains uncertain. Here, the authors use combined lead isotope and trace element analysis of 49 coins from England, Frisia and Francia to provide new insights into north-European silver sources during the ‘long eighth century’ (c. AD 660–820). The results indicate an early reliance on recycled Byzantine silver plate, followed by a shift c. AD 750 to newly mined metal from Francia. This change indicates the strong role of the Carolingian state in the control of metal sources and economic structures across the North Sea zone.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 502-517 |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| Journal | Antiquity |
| Volume | 98 |
| Issue number | 398 |
| Early online date | 9 Apr 2024 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Apr 2024 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© The Author(s), 2024.
Funding
This research was carried out under an ERC Starter Grant awarded to JK (Action number 802349) and an AHRC Leadership Fellowship (AH/S005498/1) awarded to RN.
| Funders | Funder number |
|---|---|
| European Research Council | 802349 |
| Arts and Humanities Research Council | AH/S005498/1 |
Keywords
- Byzantine period
- coinage
- lead isotope analysis
- Middle Ages
- North-west Europe
- silver mining