Notes:
Weights used in the Viking age, throughout all the countries populated by Vikings; Scandinavia and north- western Europe, or more specifically Great Britain.  The weights were used around 900 AD
The weights were not used as they are today; to weigh down something, but were used to measure weights of other materials such as silver.  Silver was used not only in trade for obvious uses such as jewelery, but was also used as a currency, so the weights did play an important role in the economic structure of the Viking age.
Some weights were topped with decorative pieces of jewelery.  Ethelred's are an example of a weight with a decorative coin on top.  The coin was held to the weight with a small silver pin.  The silver on the coin was in fact of a worse quality to the pin holding the coin to the coin itself.
Ethelred reigned from 865AD to 871AD. His coins were added to the weights within the 20 years, most likely within 5 years
Alfred The Great, of Wessex paid the Vikings a Dangegeld.  It is thought that the payment was measured using weights of similar appearance

What questions would I ask the creator?

How difficult was it to carve and craft the weight?

Where do you source you materials from?

How many did you need to make?



What was life like at the time?





Daily Life
Families often lived in longhouses and ran their own businesses.  Some worked on farms, others in trade or in craftsmanship.  Children often followed the footsteps of their parents when it came to their profession too.  Often males were forced to serve in raiding parties, in this instance the female was left to look after the house.  Children did not have the benefit of going to school, resulting in them working for the family,  usually working for their mothers at home.


Important Events
The Vikings had only just began to prove themselves as a culture at the time.  Alfred the Great took reign in 871 AD and was responsible for many raiding missions across Scandinavia.  After beating the Danes in the Battle of Edington, England was split into two, resulting in London being split into the southern half.  The conquered northen land would be known as Danelaw.

Politics
Politics in the Viking era were primarily based around assemblies.  These assemblies were called 'things'.  All political opinions/prepositions would be brought up at these assemblies, along with judgments on criminals being decided finally at hearings.  'Things' also brought communities together, with recreational sports and trading also taking place at them.




















Who produced the weights?
Well unfortunately enough I couldn't find anything to the best of my ability about the producer of the weights.  This is why I've chosen to assume a few things.

Male- Most males worked in the industry, I find it hard to believe a female would be given the role of making such a thing, even considering females had equal rights and were often left in charge.

Craftsman- A man making such an item would not probably work in his profession, but as a craftsman to work in other areas.

Karl- It's quite standard to believe a craftsman would be a karl.  Karls were middle class citizens that made up a predominant amount of the viking society.  This is one of the reasons why it would have been difficult to find a specific producer of such a mass produced item.

Religion?-  Once again, not knowing who specifically produced this item makes it difficult to assume such a thing.  Although Christianity was common in viking communities it was only after it was promoted by the likes of Lief Eriksson.

Silversmith/Blacksmith- There are specific skills involved in the production of this item.  Attaching the coin to the lead weight may involve some knowledge in silver work.  Carving the lead weight would also involved specific skills to produce a perfect object.


The Artefact:

What was it used for?
The weights were not used as they are today; to weigh down something, but were used to measure weights of other materials such as silver.  Silver was used not only in trade for obvious uses such as jewelery, but was also used as a currency, so the weights did play an important role in the economic structure of the Viking age.  It is also thought that Alfred The Great, of Wessex paid the Vikings a Dangegeld.  The payment was measured using weights of similar appearance.

What can we find out about the materials used because of this?
We do know that Vikings were very good craftsmen, and commonly used silver in their crafts, including in jewelery.  Some weights were topped with decorative pieces of jewelery.  Ethelred's are an example of a weight with a decorative coin on top.  The coin was held to the weight with a small silver pin.  The silver on the coin was in fact of a worse quality to the pin holding the coin to the coin itself.  This indicates that it may have been difficult to source good quality materials.  Lead would probably be used to measure because it is such a dense rock.