Archaeological excavations in the Nidaros Archbishop’s Palace in 1991–1995 revealed the remains of three medieval mints, alongside with remains reflecting the whole production process of coins. An authentic mint workshop is today exposed in situ in the museum constructed over the excavation site, and the richness of the finds makes this mint unique in its kind. The project 'Erkebiskopenes utmynting på 1500-tallet' has undertaken to deepen our understanding of the production processes and the importance of the coinage under the office of Archbishop Gaute Ivarsson.
Author(s): Otto Lohne, Jon Anders Risvaag, Pål Ulseth, Jardar Lohne
Series: Det Kongelige Norske Videnskabers Selskab. Skrifter, 2010, 1
Publisher: Tapir Academic Press
Year: 2011
Language: English
Pages: 178
City: Trondheim
Abstract
Contents
Preface
List of figures and tables
1 Introduction
1.1 The archbishops’ mints
1.2 The three last archbishops of Nidaros
1.3 Gaute Ivarsson
1.4 Three successive mints 1500–1537
Part I A numismatic perspective
2 The coinage under Gaute Ivarsson
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Coinage in Norway in the 11th to 16th centuries
2.3 Ecclesiastical coinage 1483–1510
2.4 Coinage in Norway during the office of Gaute Ivarsson
2.5 Categories of coins, production sites and issuers
2.5.1 Pennings – introductory remarks
2.5.2 Hvids – introductory remarks
3 Gaute Ivarsson’s hvids
3.1 Iconography of hvids from the undisclosed mint
3.2 Die link study – description of the procedures
3.3 Hypothesis
3.4 Die link study – types and legends
3.5 Types
3.6 Chains
3.6.1 Chain 7 – types IV, VI and VII
3.6.2 Chains 8 and 9 – type V
3.6.3 Chains 10–14 – archbishop type
3.7 Location of the mint and attribution of issuer
3.8 Two scenarios for the coinage in Trondheim
3.9 Weight
3.10 Diameter
3.11 Die axis
3.12 Silver content
4 Gaute Ivarsson’s pennings
4.1 Types and dies
4.2 Diameter
4.3 Weight
4.4 Silver content
4.5 Summary Part 1 – the number of coins produced
Part II A technological perspective
5 Documentation of coin production related to finds
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Bone-ash cupels and crucibles
5.2.1 Bone-ash cupels
5.2.2 Crucibles
5.3 Hammered rods
5.3.1 Descriptions of the surface topography
5.3.2 Microstructures
5.4 Blanks
5.5 Surface preparation of blanks before striking – “white washing”
5.6 Dies
5.7 Hvids
5.8 Summary Part II – the processing steps in the production of hvids
6 Conclusions and context
6.1 Conclusions from the numismatic and technological perspectives
6.2 The economic and political effects of the coin production
6.2.1 Economic effects
6.2.2 Political and symbolic significance
6.3 Epilogue
6.4 Acknowlegements
7 Bibliography
Appendices
8 Appendix 1 Weight distribution within the types
9 Appendix 2 Diagram Die Axis
10 Appendix 3 Kings and archbishops of Medieval Norway
11 Appendix 4 Introduction to the catalogue and catalogue
12 Appendix 5 Plates
Notes
