Finally, check out our Instagram page, where you can see some of the photos we have been taking, such as this fun picture from Southwark Cathedral:
Showing posts with label Numismatics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Numismatics. Show all posts
Monday, September 22, 2014
Secret Passageways and Trebuchet Trick Shots: Medieval News Roundup
This week's news for medievalists features the mystery of how books were being stolen from a medieval monastery's library, and the plans to build an Anglo-Saxon house.
Finally, check out our Instagram page, where you can see some of the photos we have been taking, such as this fun picture from Southwark Cathedral:
Finally, check out our Instagram page, where you can see some of the photos we have been taking, such as this fun picture from Southwark Cathedral:
Friday, June 21, 2013
Gutenberg, Executions, Medicis, Vikings, Hobbits and more - medieval news roundup
A medieval news roundup for the weekend...
If you are a fan of Marshall McLuhan or have an interest in the history of printing, this interview from the Columbia Journalism Review might interest you. In this post, entitled The future is medieval, they talk with Thomas Pettitt and Lars Ole Sauerberg from the University of Southern Denmark about their “Gutenberg Parenthesis” idea. It deals with how digital media will be tipping the scales between oral and print communication, the first change we have seen since Gutenberg started his printing machine. It includes some talk about the medieval period, such as:
The Middle Ages was not strong on membership of communities. They were not obsessive about inside versus outside. They didn’t emphasize, “I’m a denizen of this town, I’m a citizen of this country, I belong in this nation, behind these frontiers.” They saw themselves rather like Hobbits (Tolkien was a medievalist). Hobbits knew their relatives to the seventh degree: second cousins three times removed, and so on. In the Middle Ages people saw themselves as part of a network of connections. They knew their family trees. They knew with whom they were related. They identified themselves as a node in a network and they saw pathways, connections to other people in their extended family. They also saw themselves in terms depending on their profession. If they were in the Church, they saw themselves in the Church hierarchy as being a priest here, subject to the archdeacon here, subject to the bishop there, and the archbishop and the pope. You could have status by being the servant to a servant to someone important.
You can also listen to this talk they were part of from MIT:
Slate magazine offers this fascinating excerpt from The Faithful Executioner: Life and Death, Honor and Shame in the Turbulent Sixteenth Century, by Joel F. Harrington. It details how 16th century executioners performed their task. For example:
During his own 45-year career and 187 recorded executions with the sword, Meister Frantz required a second stroke only four times (an impressive success rate of 98 percent), yet he dutifully acknowledges each mistake in his journal with the simple annotation botched.
The New York Times has a short article about how nine children from the wealthy and poweful Medici family have been found to have rickets, a disease caused by a lack of Vitamin D and usually associated with the poor. In this case, "the researchers said the children were probably deprived of sunlight, which spurs the body to make vitamin D. Wealthy children of that time were often tightly swaddled and kept inside, with suntans discouraged as signs of low standing."
Sticking with the Medici's, Three Pipe Problem (a great blog) has an interview with Edward Goldberg, who does extensive research on that family and on the Jewish community in Renaissance Italy.
ScienceNordic reports that a 1200 year old Carolingian coin has been discovered in Norway. Jon Anders Risvaag, from NTNU University Museum, explains “Two factors make this find stand out. Firstly, this coin is older than the Carolingian coinage reform, and so far the oldest coin from Charlemagne’s reign found in Norway. Secondly, this coin was not found in a grave, in contrast to almost all other coins from Charlemagne and his successors that have been found in Norway.”
If you are interested in the Vikings, go over to Medieval Histories, where Karen Schousboe has written several posts about the Norsemen, including an indepth review of an exhibition Vikings 2013 at the National Museum in Copenhagen.
Finally, the CBC (our public broadcaster here in Canada), has this article Film, TV tourism spikes with Game of Thrones, The Hobbit. Fans seem to be heading to Northern Ireland, Dubrovnik and New Zealand to check out the beautiful backdrops to their favourite shows/movies. New Zealand tourism is cashing on in the Hobbit (like they did with Lord of the Rings movies) with their "100% Middle-earth, 100% Pure New Zealand" campaign.
The Middle Ages was not strong on membership of communities. They were not obsessive about inside versus outside. They didn’t emphasize, “I’m a denizen of this town, I’m a citizen of this country, I belong in this nation, behind these frontiers.” They saw themselves rather like Hobbits (Tolkien was a medievalist). Hobbits knew their relatives to the seventh degree: second cousins three times removed, and so on. In the Middle Ages people saw themselves as part of a network of connections. They knew their family trees. They knew with whom they were related. They identified themselves as a node in a network and they saw pathways, connections to other people in their extended family. They also saw themselves in terms depending on their profession. If they were in the Church, they saw themselves in the Church hierarchy as being a priest here, subject to the archdeacon here, subject to the bishop there, and the archbishop and the pope. You could have status by being the servant to a servant to someone important.
You can also listen to this talk they were part of from MIT:
During his own 45-year career and 187 recorded executions with the sword, Meister Frantz required a second stroke only four times (an impressive success rate of 98 percent), yet he dutifully acknowledges each mistake in his journal with the simple annotation botched.
The New York Times has a short article about how nine children from the wealthy and poweful Medici family have been found to have rickets, a disease caused by a lack of Vitamin D and usually associated with the poor. In this case, "the researchers said the children were probably deprived of sunlight, which spurs the body to make vitamin D. Wealthy children of that time were often tightly swaddled and kept inside, with suntans discouraged as signs of low standing."
Sticking with the Medici's, Three Pipe Problem (a great blog) has an interview with Edward Goldberg, who does extensive research on that family and on the Jewish community in Renaissance Italy.
ScienceNordic reports that a 1200 year old Carolingian coin has been discovered in Norway. Jon Anders Risvaag, from NTNU University Museum, explains “Two factors make this find stand out. Firstly, this coin is older than the Carolingian coinage reform, and so far the oldest coin from Charlemagne’s reign found in Norway. Secondly, this coin was not found in a grave, in contrast to almost all other coins from Charlemagne and his successors that have been found in Norway.”
Finally, the CBC (our public broadcaster here in Canada), has this article Film, TV tourism spikes with Game of Thrones, The Hobbit. Fans seem to be heading to Northern Ireland, Dubrovnik and New Zealand to check out the beautiful backdrops to their favourite shows/movies. New Zealand tourism is cashing on in the Hobbit (like they did with Lord of the Rings movies) with their "100% Middle-earth, 100% Pure New Zealand" campaign.
Monday, August 06, 2012
Medieval silver treasure found on Gotland
“This is an amazing find. It’s unbelievable that treasures of this scale exist here on Gotland,” Marie Louise Hellquist of Gotland’s County Administrative Board (Länsstyrelsen) told local newspaper Hela Gotland.
The medieval treasure was uncovered last Monday, as the landowner was moving soil. Some 500 pieces of coin were discovered in the field, and following further searches conducted once archaeologists arrived on Wednesday, that figure has swollen considerably.
“In total we’ve reached 650 pieces, so far,” Hellquist said.
Click here to read the full article from The Local
See also the Swedish article: Skatter från en tid som flytt
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Viking-era 'piggy bank' yields silver treasure
The silver treasure was found last Thursday during an archaeological examination of a field in Rone, on southern Gotland.
"We had an expert out there with a metal detector who got a signal that he's found something pretty big," Per Widerström, an archaeologist with the Gotland Museum, told The Local.
The same field has yielded previous treasure finds, including a well-known discovery from the 1880s, when a collection of nearly 6,000 coins dating from the 11th century were uncovered.
Click here to read this article from The Local
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Norway: Ancient coins offer clues about medieval society
Norway’s economic system in the Middle Ages was more sophisticated than previously thought. This claim is based on research on coin circulation in Norwegian society in the years between 1050 to 1320. In this period the use of coins was widespread and frequent, according to historian Svein Gullbekk at the University of Oslo. His study, The velocity of circulation of Norwegian coins c. 1050 to c. 1320 was recently published in a history periodical.
“This debate has been going on for 10 to 15 years,” says Svein Gullbekk. “The main question has been if goods were paid for by coins or commodities.”
The answer to the question reaches further than one might think. Coin circulation in a medieval society says something about its economic system, and whether it was possible for the national government to organize, carry out, and maintain a system based on a fixed currency.
Click here to read this article from ScienceNordic
“This debate has been going on for 10 to 15 years,” says Svein Gullbekk. “The main question has been if goods were paid for by coins or commodities.”
The answer to the question reaches further than one might think. Coin circulation in a medieval society says something about its economic system, and whether it was possible for the national government to organize, carry out, and maintain a system based on a fixed currency.
Click here to read this article from ScienceNordic
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Coin of Charlemagne sells for 160,000 euros
New record hammer price for a Medieval coin at Künker’s: the portrait denarius of Charlemagne, that had been estimated at 30,000 euros, was sold for 160,000 euros. The winner was an anonymous bidder by telephone. That result was the outright highlight of the spring auction held from March 12 to 16 in Osnabrück. The silver pfennig, weighing 1.52 grams, with the bust and the imperial title of the great Carolingian ranges amongst the absolute rarities in numismatics and is described in greater detail in catalog 205 under no. 1405 (www.kuenker.de). Scholars assume that only 15 to 35 specimens had been minted at the maximum, either on the occasion of the imperial coronation in 800 or on the Byzantine acknowledgement of KARLVS IMP(erator) AVG(ustus) in 812.
The auction was possibly record-breaking in itself: half a dozen catalogs, almost 8,000 lots, and a total hammer price more than 11 million euros. The result exceeded the estimates by more than 60 percent. Only 181 numbers went into re-sale, which is already indicative of a lively auction process. The ancient coins (in sum more than 76 percent above the estimates) and part three of the Hagander Collection (a plus of 102 percent!) greatly contributed to the overall result. The crucial factor with Künker once again were the exquisite conditions which yielded more than one surprise on Monday in catalog 204. An aureus of Vespasian from 72 from Lugdunum, estimated at 12,500 euros, obtained 135,000 euros, the same denomination of Postumus, 266, Colonia, the sum of 110,000 euros against its estimate of 75,000. A solidus of Procopius from Constantinopolis 365/366 brought 60,000 euros instead of the estimated 40,000 euros.
Click here to read this article from Coin Update
The auction was possibly record-breaking in itself: half a dozen catalogs, almost 8,000 lots, and a total hammer price more than 11 million euros. The result exceeded the estimates by more than 60 percent. Only 181 numbers went into re-sale, which is already indicative of a lively auction process. The ancient coins (in sum more than 76 percent above the estimates) and part three of the Hagander Collection (a plus of 102 percent!) greatly contributed to the overall result. The crucial factor with Künker once again were the exquisite conditions which yielded more than one surprise on Monday in catalog 204. An aureus of Vespasian from 72 from Lugdunum, estimated at 12,500 euros, obtained 135,000 euros, the same denomination of Postumus, 266, Colonia, the sum of 110,000 euros against its estimate of 75,000. A solidus of Procopius from Constantinopolis 365/366 brought 60,000 euros instead of the estimated 40,000 euros.
Click here to read this article from Coin Update
Monday, February 06, 2012
Medieval coins found in Cumbrian garden declared as 'treasure'
A hoard of more than 300 medieval silver coins unearthed in a Maryport garden has been declared as treasure.
The find was uncovered in the foundations of an old wall by workers using a digger at the property in Ellenborough.
The bulk of them are silver pennies from England of a type introduced by Edward I in the national recoinage of 1279, a series that runs through to Edward III’s reign.
Most of the English coins are pennies, although there are a number of halfpennies and farthings. There are also coins from Ireland, from the Berwick mint and coins of King Alexander of Scotland.
Click here to read this article from The News and Star
The find was uncovered in the foundations of an old wall by workers using a digger at the property in Ellenborough.
The bulk of them are silver pennies from England of a type introduced by Edward I in the national recoinage of 1279, a series that runs through to Edward III’s reign.
Most of the English coins are pennies, although there are a number of halfpennies and farthings. There are also coins from Ireland, from the Berwick mint and coins of King Alexander of Scotland.
Click here to read this article from The News and Star
Monday, October 31, 2011
Viking treasure discovered in England
A metal detector enthusiast has found a major hoard of Viking silver in a field on the Cumbria-Lancashire border. Darren Webster, from Carnforth, uncovered more than 200 silver pieces including ornate bracelets, coins and ingots in a lead pot.
He said he had searched the same undisclosed location several times before and found nothing.
The silver is now with experts at the British Museum, who described the find as "of national significance". They will reveal their findings at the end of the year.
Click here to read this article from the BBC
The find of a lifetime: Treasure hunter digs up 200-piece haul of Viking jewellery and coins
A metal detecting enthusiast unearthed 'the find of a lifetime' when he discovered a Viking treasure hoard including 200 pieces of silver jewellery.
Darren Webster dug up a 1,000-year-old casket that also held coins, hacksilver and ingots while scouring at an undisclosed location on the border between Cumbria and North Lancashire. Experts at the British Museum in London say the find is of 'national significance'.
Click here to read this article from the Daily Mail
He said he had searched the same undisclosed location several times before and found nothing.
The silver is now with experts at the British Museum, who described the find as "of national significance". They will reveal their findings at the end of the year.
Click here to read this article from the BBC
The find of a lifetime: Treasure hunter digs up 200-piece haul of Viking jewellery and coins
A metal detecting enthusiast unearthed 'the find of a lifetime' when he discovered a Viking treasure hoard including 200 pieces of silver jewellery.
Darren Webster dug up a 1,000-year-old casket that also held coins, hacksilver and ingots while scouring at an undisclosed location on the border between Cumbria and North Lancashire. Experts at the British Museum in London say the find is of 'national significance'.
Click here to read this article from the Daily Mail
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Roman coin hoards discovered in Shropshire and Worcestershire
Britain’s Portable Antiquities Scheme announced this week details about two recent discoveries of Roman coin hoards. One involved the find of more than 9000 coins that was discovered in August 2009 by a novice metal detector user in the Shrewsbury area. This is one of the largest coin hoards ever discovered in Shropshire and recent work by the British Museum has revealed important new information about the find.
The finder, Mr. Nic. Davies, bought his first metal detector a month before making the find in August 2009. The hoard was discovered close to a public bridleway on land that Mr Davies did not have permission to detect on. The coins were placed in a very large storage jar which had been buried in the ground around 335 AD.
With the information provided by Mr Davies, an excavation was undertaken to learn how the coins were placed in the ground. This excavation showed that the pot was buried probably part full and topped up before being sealed with a large stone that acted as both a lid and marker.
Click here to read this article from History of the Ancient World
The finder, Mr. Nic. Davies, bought his first metal detector a month before making the find in August 2009. The hoard was discovered close to a public bridleway on land that Mr Davies did not have permission to detect on. The coins were placed in a very large storage jar which had been buried in the ground around 335 AD.
With the information provided by Mr Davies, an excavation was undertaken to learn how the coins were placed in the ground. This excavation showed that the pot was buried probably part full and topped up before being sealed with a large stone that acted as both a lid and marker.
Click here to read this article from History of the Ancient World
Monday, October 17, 2011
Medieval coin haul worth thousands dug up in Corringham
Two friends who uncovered a huge haul of 14th century coins worth up to £50,000 in a farmer’s field in Corringham have promised to split their jackpot find.
Brian Smyth, 65, from Rayleigh, and Nick Rowntree, 57, from Rochford, have been metal detecting for a combined half a century but declared their most recent find as their biggest ever on Friday.
The pair discovered the medieval ‘piggy bank’ containing almost the whole range of English currency circulating in the late 1300’s, including a substantial number of large gold and silver coins, whilst out on their weekly Sunday morning treasure hunt.
Click here to read the article from The Enquirer
Brian Smyth, 65, from Rayleigh, and Nick Rowntree, 57, from Rochford, have been metal detecting for a combined half a century but declared their most recent find as their biggest ever on Friday.
The pair discovered the medieval ‘piggy bank’ containing almost the whole range of English currency circulating in the late 1300’s, including a substantial number of large gold and silver coins, whilst out on their weekly Sunday morning treasure hunt.
Click here to read the article from The Enquirer
Monday, August 15, 2011
3,422 ancient Carthaginian coins discovered off of Sicily
At that time, Pantelleria, which lies about 70 miles southwest of Sicily, in the middle of the Sicily Strait, became a bone of contention between the Romans and Carthaginians.Rome captured the small Mediterranean island in the First Punic War in 255 BC, but lost it a year later. In 217 BC, in the Second Punic War, Rome finally regained the island, and even celebrated the event with commemorative coins and a holiday.
Click here to read this article from Discovery News
Thursday, July 28, 2011
3,000 Roman 3rd Century coins found in Wales
More than 3,000 Roman coins have been discovered in a field, it has emerged.
The hoard of copper alloy coins, dating from the 3rd Century, was unearthed in Montgomery, Powys, several weeks ago.
About 900 were found by a member of a Welshpool metal detecting club, with the rest of the discovery made with help from archaeologists.
The exact location is being kept secret to protect the site. The Powys coroner will determine whether they qualify as treasure.
Click here to read this article from the BBC
Click here to read another article from Wales Online
The hoard of copper alloy coins, dating from the 3rd Century, was unearthed in Montgomery, Powys, several weeks ago.
About 900 were found by a member of a Welshpool metal detecting club, with the rest of the discovery made with help from archaeologists.
The exact location is being kept secret to protect the site. The Powys coroner will determine whether they qualify as treasure.
Click here to read this article from the BBC
Click here to read another article from Wales Online
Friday, July 15, 2011
Museum of Somerset to reopen with the Frome Hoard
One of the largest collections of Roman coins ever found, a shrunken head from South America and Judge Jeffreys’ medical bill are a few of the many new exhibits which will be on display at the new Museum of Somerset, opening on Thursday 29 September.
For the first time in three years, the Museum of Somerset will be throwing open its doors in spectacular fashion to welcome the public from midday onwards after a £6.93m redevelopment.
Click here to read this article from Medievalists.net
For the first time in three years, the Museum of Somerset will be throwing open its doors in spectacular fashion to welcome the public from midday onwards after a £6.93m redevelopment.
Click here to read this article from Medievalists.net
Friday, July 01, 2011
Viking silver coin hoard discovered in northern England
A Viking treasure hoard of silver coins has been discovered in the northern English country of Cumbria. The find is being billed as ‘the missing link’ by experts who say it is the long-awaited significant evidence of 9th and 10th Century AD material culture of the settlers upon the area around Barrow-in-Furness.
The 92 silver coins and artefacts (several ingots and one near-complete silver bracelet) were discovered and brought to the surface in May by a locally-based metal detectorist. Amongst the coins is a pair of Arabic dirhams – silver currency which circulated in 10th century Europe but rarely found in the United Kingdom.
Click here to read this article from Medievalists.net
The 92 silver coins and artefacts (several ingots and one near-complete silver bracelet) were discovered and brought to the surface in May by a locally-based metal detectorist. Amongst the coins is a pair of Arabic dirhams – silver currency which circulated in 10th century Europe but rarely found in the United Kingdom.
Click here to read this article from Medievalists.net
Monday, March 21, 2011
Frome Hoard to go to the Museum of Somerset
The Frome Hoard, a collection of over fifty thousand Roman coins discovered last year, will be bought by the Museum of Somerset. The Museum raised over £420,000 to buy the coins and properly preserve them.
The money came from donations from the public, as well as the Art Fund and the National Heritage Memorial Fund. The funding was announced on the Art Fund website, along with news that the National Museum of Scotland will buy four Iron Age gold Torcs, dated between the 1st and 3rd century BC.
Click here to read this article from History of the Ancient World
The money came from donations from the public, as well as the Art Fund and the National Heritage Memorial Fund. The funding was announced on the Art Fund website, along with news that the National Museum of Scotland will buy four Iron Age gold Torcs, dated between the 1st and 3rd century BC.
Click here to read this article from History of the Ancient World
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
Medieval coins found in Shropshire
Medieval coins discovered in Baschurch and in the Oswestry area have been declared as treasure trove by an inquest.
At last week's Wem inquest, north and mid Shropshire Coroner, Mr John Ellery, declared the finds as treasure trove and they could now be displayed at Rowley's House Museum, Shrewsbury and at the Powysland Museum, Welshpool, which has expressed an interest in the finds.
Click here to read this article from the Border Counties Advertiser
At last week's Wem inquest, north and mid Shropshire Coroner, Mr John Ellery, declared the finds as treasure trove and they could now be displayed at Rowley's House Museum, Shrewsbury and at the Powysland Museum, Welshpool, which has expressed an interest in the finds.
Click here to read this article from the Border Counties Advertiser
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
Shropshire medieval coin finds declared treasure trove
Three hoards of medieval coins found in Shropshire have been declared as treasure by a coroner. The coins – dating from the 13th to 17th centuries – were discovered in Baschurch and near Oswestry.
Mr John Ellery, coroner for north and mid Shropshire, declared all three finds as treasure trove at inquests in Wem yesterday.
The finds could now go on display at Rowley’s House Museum in Shrewsbury and Powysland Museum.
Click here to read this article from the Shropshire Star
Mr John Ellery, coroner for north and mid Shropshire, declared all three finds as treasure trove at inquests in Wem yesterday.
The finds could now go on display at Rowley’s House Museum in Shrewsbury and Powysland Museum.
Click here to read this article from the Shropshire Star
Thursday, February 03, 2011
Wrexham Museum debut showing for medieval coin hoard
A hoard of medieval coins found near Llay is to go on display at Wrexham Museum for the first time. The hoard is made up of 31 coins and it is thought they were probably buried soon after 1412.
"The coins lay in the ground until December 2005 when they were found by two metal detectorists," said Jonathan Gammond, Wrexham Museum's exhibition officer.
The coins will be on display when the museum reopens later this month.
Click here to read this article from the BBC
"The coins lay in the ground until December 2005 when they were found by two metal detectorists," said Jonathan Gammond, Wrexham Museum's exhibition officer.
The coins will be on display when the museum reopens later this month.
Click here to read this article from the BBC
Thursday, January 06, 2011
£10,000 for rare coins which went to auction
A hoard of rare medieval coins has cashed in at more than £10,000 after going under the hammer at Lichfield Auction Centre.
The collection of over 40 hammered medieval and later coins had been brought to Richard Winterton Auctioneers' coin expert Stephen Wrenn just before Christmas.
Comprising hammered gold and silver coinage spanning the reigns of Aethelred I, Edward the Confessor, William I, Edward I, King John, Edward IV, Henry VII, Elizabeth I, Henry III and James I, the collection had been collected primarily during the 1980s by a local man.
Click here to read this article from the Lichfield Mercury
The collection of over 40 hammered medieval and later coins had been brought to Richard Winterton Auctioneers' coin expert Stephen Wrenn just before Christmas.
Comprising hammered gold and silver coinage spanning the reigns of Aethelred I, Edward the Confessor, William I, Edward I, King John, Edward IV, Henry VII, Elizabeth I, Henry III and James I, the collection had been collected primarily during the 1980s by a local man.
Click here to read this article from the Lichfield Mercury
Thursday, November 04, 2010
Rare collection of medieval coins is to be auctioned off
A hoard of medieval coins is due to go under the hammer at Lichfield Auction Centre next month. The "extremely fine collection" of gold and silver coins was discovered on one of Richard Winterton Auctioneers' valuation days last week.
"It is the best collection in terms of hammered quality that I have seen in 10 years," said coin and medal expert Stephen Wrenn. "We have had one or two hammered pieces, but not to this degree."
Click here to read this article from the Lichfield Mercury
"It is the best collection in terms of hammered quality that I have seen in 10 years," said coin and medal expert Stephen Wrenn. "We have had one or two hammered pieces, but not to this degree."
Click here to read this article from the Lichfield Mercury
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