A fragement of a rectangular silver ingot cut from a rod found in Torksey, Lincolnshire. © The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge
A fragement of a rectangular silver ingot cut from a rod found in Torksey, Lincolnshire. © The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge

A fragement of a rectangular silver ingot cut from a rod found in Torksey, Lincolnshire. © The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge A fragement of a rectangular silver ingot cut from a rod found in Torksey, Lincolnshire. © The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge A fragement of a rectangular silver ingot cut from a rod found in Torksey, Lincolnshire. © The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge A fragement of a rectangular silver ingot cut from a rod found in Torksey, Lincolnshire. © The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge

Silver Ingot (CM.1789-2008)

A fragement of a rectangular silver ingot cut from a rod found in Torksey, Lincolnshire

This silver ingot was made by melting down worked silver cast into a rod and cut into sections. The Vikings arriving in England had a bullion economy where they paid for goods with silver that was weighed to an amount agreed between the buyer and the seller. Hacksilver and silver ingots are the most common evidence for their bullion economy. It took some time for the Scandinavian settlers to adopt a monetary economy like that of the Anglo-Saxons, and both systems were used simultaneously for a while before they fully adopted the new system. They were familiar with monetary economies but they treated coins as just another form of silver before adoption of a monetary economy.

Object Type

Hacksilver

Date

circa 800 — 1000

Ascribed Culture

Original/Reproduction

Original

Material

Collection

Viking Objects

Current Location

The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge

Keywords

bullion, Danelaw Saga, Economy, hacksilver, ingot, Lincolnshire, metal_working, silver, Torksey, trade, Viking

Further information

You can see the original at The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.

This object is related to Torksey, Lincolnshire.
Find out about Torksey, Lincolnshire.

Acknowledgements

© The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge

References

The Fitzwilliam Museum

Related items

Reproduction Hacksilver
Reproduction Silver Ingot
Torksey

More items

Cast Lead Weight (SWYOR-A48576)
Northumbrian Styca (LEIC-0D9D6F)
Anglo-Scandinavian Mount (NLM-491EBD)
Trefoil Brooch (LEIC-33DBDC)
Anglo-Scandinavian Strap-End (LEIC-6EDB41)
Borre Style Brooch (DENO-805B20)
Zoomorphic Mount (DENO-7E523C)
Buckle Frame (DENO-98937A)
Enamel Copper-Alloy Brooch (DENO-6C0D22)
Anglo-Scandinavian Silver Mount (SWYOR-0201A1)
Globe-Shaped Weight (PUBLIC-D94974)