Archaeology of Money: Numismatics and GIS
ARHA 382
Fall 2020 not offered
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| Crosslisting:
ARCP 382 |
In many parts of the world, lost coins numbering in the millions lie buried in the ground. Periodically, some of these coins come to light in the course of plowing, digging to repair a water main, or prospecting with metal detectors. These "treasure-trove" finds-also known as coin hoards-provide the archaeologist of money with rich evidence of how money was actually used in pre-modern times. Which coins occur together in a hoard; the numbers in which they occur, and the spatial patterning of their findspots all speak volumes about pre-modern economies, circulation patterns, and beliefs about money and value. In this seminar, we explore the evidence of coins and coin hoards, studying them from numismatic perspectives (the images and legends on a given coin type, metals used, weights, fabric), metrological and denominational perspectives (what coins reveal about systems of weights and denominational structures), and statistical approaches (for example, studying patterns of weight loss as indicators of the velocity of circulation and degree of monetization in a given society). In the first half of the course, we focus primarily on a series of case studies and hands-on, in-class lab sessions based on actual numismatic materials, primarily drawn from ancient and medieval South Asia, and classical Greece and Rome. In the second half, students will learn how to use ArcGIS and will complete a collaborative group project in which they design and construct a geodatabase for the analysis of ancient or medieval Indian coin hoards. No prior knowledge of either numismatics or GIS is required. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA ART |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (ARCP-MN)(ARCP)(ARHA-MN)(ARHA)(ARST)(GSAS) |
Major Readings:
Andrew Burnett, Coins (Berkeley, 1991)
Philip Grierson, Numismatics (Oxford, 1975)
John Deyell, Living without Silver: The Monetary History of Early Medieval North India (New Delhi, 1990)
And assorted articles and excerpts available on Moodle, including:
Levent Atici, Sarah Whitcher Kansa, Justin Lev-Tov and Eric C. Kansa, "Other People's Data: A Demonstration of the Imperative of Publishing Primary Data", Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, 2013.
Markus Breier, "GIS for Numismatics: Methods of Analyses in the Interpretation of Coin Finds" in Mapping Different Geographies. Heidelberg, 2010.
B.D.Chattopadhyaya, "D.D. Kosambi and the Study of Early Indian Coins", Economic and Political Weekly 2008
E.J. Frazer and J. van der Touw, "The Random Walk: a Study of Coins Lost and Found in an Urban Environment", Numismatic Chronicle, 2010.
Jules Janick and Judith B. Santini, "Street Money: Distribution and Analysis" American Journal of Numismatics, 2004-05.
Kris Lockyear, "Models of Coin Supply and Circulation", ch. 3 of Patterns and Process in Late Roman Republican Coin Hoards, 157-2 BC, Oxford 2007.
Jan Lucassen, "The Logistics of Wage Payments: Changing Patterns in Northern India in the 1840s"
Bengt Thordeman, "The Lohe Hoard: A Contribution to the Methodology of Numismatics", The Numismatic Chronicle and Journal of the Royal Numismatic Society, 1948.
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Examinations and Assignments:
Regular contributions to seminar discussion (including reports on readings), two "critical reflections" (1-2 pages) based on exercises begun in class; oral presentation of research project, research paper |
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