A silver ingot of Viking Age date found in Longford, Derbyshire. (c) Derby Museum and Art Gallery
A silver ingot of Viking Age date found in Longford, Derbyshire. (c) Derby Museum and Art Gallery

Silver Ingot (2010-195)

A silver ingot of Viking Age date found in Longford, Derbyshire

Ingots of this size and shape were used as a convenient way to store and carry silver in the Viking Age. They might be cut up into pieces (hacksilver) to be used as bullion for payments, or be processed into jewellery. Analysis of silver ingots from this period shows that many were made from silver mined in the Middle East. This silver was probably originally used to mint Arabic dirhams (a type of coin) but was melted down by the Vikings to make it more easily portable.

Object Type

Bullion

Date

circa 753 — 1066

Ascribed Culture

Original/Reproduction

Original

Material

Collection

Viking Objects

Current Location

Derby Museum and Art Gallery

Keywords

bullion, Derby_Museums, Derbyshire, Economy, hacksilver, ingot, metal_working, trade, Viking Age

Further information

You can see the original at Derby Museum and Art Gallery.

This object is related to Longford, Derbyshire.
Find out about Longford, Derbyshire.

Acknowledgements

(c) Derby Museum and Art Gallery

(c) Portable Antiquities Scheme, CC BY-SA 4.0

References

Portable Antiquities Scheme

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Reproduction Silver Ingot
Reproduction Hacksilver

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