Penny From the Reign of Anlaf Guthfrithsson
Item #1: A Penny from the Reign of Anlaf Guthfrithsson., 939-941 CE.
This object is a silver penny from the reign of Anlaf Guthfrithsson, one of the Viking kings of the Danelaw, the region of England settled by Viking invaders. It was minted sometime between 939 and 941 CE near York. This coin is mainly a study in how the Viking settlers assimilated into the native Anglo-Saxon culture. There are examples of resistance to assimilation. For example, unlike several pennies of his contemporaries, Anlaf’s pennies were inscribed in Old Norse. Most Viking rulers inscribed their coins in the Latin language, familiar to their Anglo-Saxon subjects.1
Nonetheless, this coin mostly demonstrates assimilation. As the discoverers noted, the coin depicts a bird, most likely a raven or eagle. The eagle was present at the time in both Norse and Christian art. (For the Norse, the eagle represented Odin. For Christians, the eagle represented Saint John the Evangelist.)2 Therefore, it is very likely that Anlaf sought the religious approval of his Christian subjects. Such an arrangement would not be unusual. Assimilation to local culture was quite common among Viking settlers. In fact, often settlement in the British Isles was not followed by the spread of Norse customs, but rather adopting local customs, albeit while maintaining many Norse traditions as well. For example, in the York area, where Anlaf ruled, several sculptured stones are found that have imported Norse Jelling Styles, but used them to depict Christian images.3 More importantly, the penny presented here is best viewed in the context of other pennies of the time. Like other pennies produced by both Anglo-Saxon and Norse rulers, the coins are engraved in the Latin Alphabet.4 As well as this, there is a cross found on all sides.5 Thus, these coins prove to be a good indication of how the Vikings rather than changing the local culture, sought to assimilate instead.
This object is a silver penny from the reign of Anlaf Guthfrithsson, one of the Viking kings of the Danelaw, the region of England settled by Viking invaders. It was minted sometime between 939 and 941 CE near York. This coin is mainly a study in how the Viking settlers assimilated into the native Anglo-Saxon culture. There are examples of resistance to assimilation. For example, unlike several pennies of his contemporaries, Anlaf’s pennies were inscribed in Old Norse. Most Viking rulers inscribed their coins in the Latin language, familiar to their Anglo-Saxon subjects.1
Nonetheless, this coin mostly demonstrates assimilation. As the discoverers noted, the coin depicts a bird, most likely a raven or eagle. The eagle was present at the time in both Norse and Christian art. (For the Norse, the eagle represented Odin. For Christians, the eagle represented Saint John the Evangelist.)2 Therefore, it is very likely that Anlaf sought the religious approval of his Christian subjects. Such an arrangement would not be unusual. Assimilation to local culture was quite common among Viking settlers. In fact, often settlement in the British Isles was not followed by the spread of Norse customs, but rather adopting local customs, albeit while maintaining many Norse traditions as well. For example, in the York area, where Anlaf ruled, several sculptured stones are found that have imported Norse Jelling Styles, but used them to depict Christian images.3 More importantly, the penny presented here is best viewed in the context of other pennies of the time. Like other pennies produced by both Anglo-Saxon and Norse rulers, the coins are engraved in the Latin Alphabet.4 As well as this, there is a cross found on all sides.5 Thus, these coins prove to be a good indication of how the Vikings rather than changing the local culture, sought to assimilate instead.
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