An unprecedented study published in the journal Antiquity has revealed new data on the origin of the silver used in England between 660 and 820 AD.
Jane Kershaw
The research sheds light on the dramatic changes in silver supply that played a key role in the economic and political landscapes of early medieval Europe.
Historically, the origin of silver in Anglo-Saxon coins, which increased in use between 660 and 750 AD, has been a subject of intense academic debate.
The new analysis focused on the chemical composition of the coins kept at the Fitzwilliam Museum, revealing a significant Byzantine influence in the first batches of these coins.
According to their findings, the silver used during the earlier period has a unique chemical and isotopic signature, similar to that of the silver of the Byzantine Empire in the Eastern Mediterranean.
This suggests a homogeneous source in several mints in England, Friesland and France, characterized by a high gold content (0.6-2%) and consistent isotopic ranges.
This discovery challenges previous assumptions about the use of local or less distant sources of silver, such as molten silver from churches or unknown mines, Sci News points out.
News Staff
The remarkable treasures, such as those found at Sutton Hoo, indicate that the elites of England and France may have stored this valuable metal for significant periods, converting it into coins only when socio-economic needs arose, such as the need for liquidity or political maneuvering.
The study also highlighted a major change in the origin of silver around 750 AD. Analysis of later coins revealed a transition to the predominant use of silver from Melle in western France, which was identified by its low gold content.
This change coincides with the rise to power of the Carolingian dynasty and the intensification of silver mining in Melle, which became increasingly influential in regional and potentially English silver economies.
Researchers link this change directly to Charlemagne 's administrative reforms and his strategic management of silver supplies, which included the standardization of coin production throughout his empire.
The implications of these findings are significant, illustrating how trade, diplomacy and power dynamics were deeply intertwined in the early medieval period.
