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THE HEIGHT OF DENIER TOURNOIS MINTING IN GREECE (1289–1313) ACCORDING TO NEW ARCHAEOMETRIC DATA

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 March 2017

J. Baker*
Affiliation:
Heberden Coin Room, Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford, UK
V. Kantarelou
Affiliation:
Institute of Nuclear Physics, NCSR ‘Demokritos’, Aghia Paraskevi, Attica, Greece
A.G. Karydas
Affiliation:
Institute of Nuclear Physics, NCSR ‘Demokritos’, Aghia Paraskevi, Attica, Greece Nuclear Science and Instrumentation Laboratory, IAEA, Seibersdorf, Austria
R.E. Jones
Affiliation:
Archaeology, University of Glasgow, UK
P. Siozos
Affiliation:
Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Herakleion, Greece
D. Anglos
Affiliation:
Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Herakleion, Greece Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, Herakleion, Greece

Abstract

The years 1289–1313 witnessed particularly prolific minting activities at different southern and central Greek mints on behalf of different polities. The coin issues are of great economic and political relevance, and therefore of interest to modern historians. Our understanding of these is based on traditional sources, either numismatic (types and finds), or historical. This paper aims to investigate the possibilities of adding further details to the picture through archaeometry. Specifically, tournois pennies of the three main mints of the region (Clarentza, Thebes, Naupaktos) excavated at Ancient Corinth were analysed according to two different non-destructive methods, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). The resulting relative silver percentages and the fingerprints of the trace elements have supported our attempts to put the different coin types in chronological order and to add detail to the context and intent for each one of these. A vivid picture of monetary production emerges. The different issuing authorities were usually intent on maintaining a decent standard while variously trying to put pressure on rivals or to harmonise their productions with their allies. All the analysed mints were commercial in character, though they were subject to the great political changes affecting Greece in this period, the ambitions of the Angevin dynasty, the various challenges which it faced in Athens, the Peloponnese and the western Mainland, and finally the destructive arrival of the Catalans. In times of need, specifically military, these same mints could therefore rely on further bullion which reached them through internal or external political channels.

Η ακμή της κοπής δηναρίων τορνεσίων στην Ελλαδα σύμφωνα με νέα αρχαιομετρικά δεδομένα

Η κοπή νομισμάτων κατά τη χρονική περίοδο 1289–1313 αποδείχτηκε ιδιαίτερα παραγωγική για τα νομισματοκοπία διαφορετικών πολιτειών της νότιας και της κεντρικής Ελλάδας. Οι νομισματικές κοπές έχουν οικονομική και πολιτική σημασία και ως εκ τούτου παρουσιάζουν ενδιαφέρον για τους σύγχρονους ιστορικούς. Οι γνώσεις μας πάνω στα νομίσματα βασίζεται σε νομισματικές (τύποι νομισμάτων) ή ιστορικές πηγές. Αυτή η εργασία έχει σαν στόχο να προσθέσει περαιτέρω λεπτομέρειες στην έρευνα των νομισμάτων μέσω της Αρχαιομετρίας. Πιο συγκεκριμένα, νομίσματα των κύριων νομισματοκοπείων της εποχής (Γλαρέντζα, Θήβα, Ναύπακτος) που ανασκάφθηκαν στην Αρχαία Κόρινθο μελετήθηκαν με δύο διαφορετικές μη καταστροφικές μεθόδους, τη φθορισιμετρία των ακτίνων Χ (XRF) και τη φασματοσκοπία πλάσματος επαγόμενου από λέιζερ (LIBS). Οι μετρούμενες συγκεντρώσεις του αργύρου αλλά και των ιχνοστοιχείων υποστήριξαν τις προσπάθειές μας για κατάταξη των διαφορετικών τύπων νομισμάτων σε χρονολογική σειρά προσθέτοντας λεπτομέρειες για τη σύσταση τους. Μια ζωντανή εικόνα της νομισματικής παραγωγής αναδύεται. Οι διάφορες αρχές συνήθως προσπαθούσαν να διατηρήσουν τη ποιότητα των μετάλλων ενώ παράλληλα προσπαθούσαν να ασκήσουν πίεση στους αντιπάλους ή να εναρμονίσουν τις παραγωγές τους με τους συμμάχους τους. Όλα τα εξεταζόμενα νομισματοκοπεία είχαν εμπορικό χαρακτήρα, αν και είχαν υποβληθεί στις μεγάλες πολιτικές αλλαγές που επηρεάζουν την Ελλάδα αυτή την περίοδο, οι φιλοδοξίες της δυναστείας των Ανδηγαυών, οι διάφορες προκλήσεις που αντιμετωπίζουν στην Αθήνα, την Πελοπόννησο και τη δυτική ηπειρωτική χώρα, και τέλος, η καταστροφική άφιξη των Καταλανών. Σε στιγμές ανάγκης, ειδικά σε περίοδο πολέμου, τα νομισματοκοπεία στηρίζονταν για την ανανέωση του χαλκού και του αργύρου σε εσωτερικές ή εξωτερικές πηγές.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © The Council, British School at Athens 2017 

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