Discoid Lead Weight
The Vikings, unlike the British, French, and much of Europe, did not base value on the shape of a metal; instead, they cared solely about the quality and quantity of the currency, which was in most cases ingots of silver.[2] They employed a bullion economy, which required weights and scales in order to trade fairly. Therefore, this lead weight would have been an effective tool for a Viking trader to make a fair transaction.
The exact nature of the ingot makes it ideal for a Viking trader. Because it is composed almost entirely of lead, and lead is one of the heaviest common metals known to man, the weight would have been much more efficient than a more bulky, less dense metal. In addition, the weight measures 43.83 grams, which is slightly under ten units of 4.43 grams (the standard bullion weight). However, one would imagine after being underground for over a millennium anything would lose a little bit of its mass, so this statistic makes sense. Lastly, the weight is stamped into a round shape so it is more uniform and could perhaps be stacked with the other sizes of weights that a trader might be carrying.[3]
This lead weight was found by means of a metal detector in north-east Lincolnshire. During the Viking Age, this spate of land would have been right in the middle of the Danelaw. The Danelaw was the large section of England given to the Norse through the Treaty of Wedmore. The presence of such a commonplace Norse economic tool found so inland not only indicates Viking presence in the area, but confirms the Danelaw’s very existence.
