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INGOT
Unique ID: NLM-F17E5A
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
Silver Ingot. Cast and hammered rectangular ingot with slightly indented sides and ends. The mass may suggest this to represent two units of either of the predominant Viking Age systems of measurement for bullion, based on units of 4.07gms (in Scandinavia) or 4.34gms (Viking Dublin, and by extension the contemporary 'kingdom' of York). The ingot would be very slightly overweight in the former case and very slightly underweight in the latter - in both cases by a small fraction of a gram. Bullion finds from northern England are attributed to both the Viking heyday and to the period of English revival thereafter, which may have prompted the deposit of notable hoards. Suggested date: Early Medieval, 850-1025. Given the age and material, this object is to be submitted to the Treasure process, ref 2015 T8.
Length: 28.9mm, Width: 10.2mm, Thickness: 4.5mm, Weight: 8.54gms.
Notes:
The subject of Viking Age metrology is discussed for Flixborough, North Lincolnshire by Wastling 2009 (Wastling, L.M., 'Lead and lead alloy mensuration weights', in Evans, D.H. and Loveluck, C., Life and Economy at Early Flixborough c.AD600-1000, Excavations at Flixborough volume 2, Oxbow, Oxford and Oakville, pages 422-424). Wastling draws on Wallace 1987 for weights from Dublin using a module of 4.43gms (Wallace, P.F. 'The Economy and Commerce of Viking Age Dublin', in K. Duwel et al, Untersuchengen zu Handel und Verkher der vor- und fruhgeschichtlichen Zeit in Mittel- und Nordeuropoa, Teil IV. Der Handel der Karolingerund Wikingerzeit, Gottingen, and on Kruse (1988, 1992) for weights of a more general Scandinavian currency using a module of 4.07gms (Kruse, S. 1988, 'Ingots and Weights in Viking Age Silver Hoards', World Archaeology 20, 265-381; Kruse, S. 1992, 'Late Saxon Balances and Weights from England', Medieval Archaeology 36, 67-95. Kruse bases calculations on Nielsen 1983, on Hedeby, to arrive at the figure of 4.07gms (Nielsen, H-O, 1983, 'Rontgenologische und metrische Untersuchungen an zwei Kugel-Gewichtssatzen aus Haithabu', Berichte uber die Ausgrabungen in Haithabu 18, 109-120, Neumunster. These details were requested by Helen Geake, though this reporter regrets his lack of facility with the imposition of appropriate accents for the Continental sources cited by Wastling. These appear in their proper form in the bibliography of the Flixborough volume.
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Submitted for consideration as Treasure
Treasure details
Treasure case tracking number: 2015T8
Chronology
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Late
Period from: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod to: Late
Period to: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Ascribed Culture:
Anglo-Scandinavian style
Date from: Circa AD 850
Date to: Circa AD 1025
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 28.9 mm
Width: 10.2 mm
Thickness: 4.5 mm
Weight: 8.54 g
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Friday 26th September 2014
Personal details
This information is restricted for your access level.
Other reference numbers
Other reference: NLM27129a
Treasure case number: 2015T8
Materials and construction
Primary material: Silver
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Complete
Spatial metadata
Region: Yorkshire and the Humber (European Region)County or Unitary authority: East Riding of Yorkshire (Unitary Authority)
District: East Riding of Yorkshire (Unitary Authority)
To be known as: Preston
Spatial coordinates
Grid reference source: GPS (from the finder)
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
References cited
No references cited so far.
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Timeline of associated dates
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