Overview

Excavated from Traprain Law, East Lothian, Scotland, in May 1919, was one of the most spectacular discoveries of Roman silver ever made in Europe - and the biggest hoard of `hacksilver': 23kg, battered, crushed and chopped up. Blame for the destruction has hitherto been laid at the door of `barbarians' but this study changes that view. An international team of scholars has reviewed the hoard's origins and manufacture, its use as elite tableware, its hacking and later reuse. A century of new discoveries and ideas allow fresh conclusions, especially about the hacking. With wide-ranging parallels from across Europe, the authors argue that hacking was a deliberate Roman policy to create bullion at times of economic crisis, turning valued vessels into weights of silver to be used in frontier politics, to pay off groups from beyond the empire, or hire them as mercenaries.

Full Product Details

Author:   Fraser Hunter ,  Annemarie Kaufmann-Heinimann ,  Kenneth Painter
Publisher:   NMSE - Publishing Ltd
Imprint:   NMSE - Publishing Ltd
Dimensions:   Width: 22.00cm , Height: 5.50cm , Length: 28.00cm
Weight:   3.286kg
ISBN:  

9781910682234

ISBN 10:   1910682233
Pages:   780
Publication Date:   21 July 2022
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
This item will be ordered in for you from one of our suppliers. Upon receipt, we will promptly dispatch it out to you. For in store availability, please contact us.

Table of Contents

Foreword by Dr Christopher Breward, National Museums Scotland Acknowledgements Introduction List of contributors THE LATE ROMAN SILVER TREASURE FROM TRAPRAIN LAW Part I: The treasure since its discovery Part II: The components of the hoard Tableware: eating vessels Tableware: drinking vessels Toilet vessels and implements Furniture and fittings Vessels: varia Personal objects and non-plate items Coins Part III: The silver as objects The silver as Hacksilber Roman Hacksilber beyond the frontier and its legacy   Conclusions Appendices   Part IV: Catalogue of the Traprain Law Treasure Introduction Platters, dishes and bowls Other eating and serving implements Drinking equipment Toilet and bathing equipment Toilet and bathing equipment Furniture and fittings Other Bibliography Index

Reviews

'Traprain Law is one of Scotland's iconic sites. it has not, however, always been treated as befits its status by archaeologists. This book redresses the balance. It is a sumptuous and thoroughly academic account of the Traprain treasure by the leading authorities in the field. ... ' Archaeology Scotland

Author Information

Dr Fraser Hunter is Principal Curator of the Iron Age and Roman collections, National Museums Scotland, and presenter of Scotland: Rome’s Final Frontier on BBC2. Dr Annemarie Kaufmann-Heinimann is a researcher at Basel University. Dr Kenneth Painter was Deputy Keeper of the Greek and Roman department of the British Museum.

Tab Content 6

Author Website:  

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

No review item found!

Add your own review!

Countries Available

All regions