Viking inset lead weights

Principal investigator: Liam
Level: Masters degree

I am writing a masters dissertation at the University of York investigating Viking inset lead weights associated with the exploits of the Great Army which ravaged the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in the late ninth century. My research questions include why specific items were chosen as insets, and why weights were inset in the first place as this is a phenomenon largely associated with the Vikings of the British Isles, and the insets chosen were almost exclusively Insular in origin. I am looking at individual inset weights but also at sets and assemblages, particularly those found at the winter camp at Torksey in Lincolnshire. I am also investigating hoards to look for signs of economic stress which would have affected the price of silver and potentially changed the purpose of weights from measuring devices to a pseudo-currency which may have been indicated by their insets. I require researcher access so that I can obtain greater detail about these weights and hoards including more precise details of where they were found.

Referee: Prof. D. Hadley (University of York)

Audit data

• Created: 4 years ago
• Updated: 4 years ago