Viking era fines revealed by interpretation of runic inscription
Viking age finances including fines and monetary systems may have been revealed by a new interpretation of runic inscriptions. This would make it the oldest documented value record in Scandinavia. The inscription is on the Forsa Ring, a 16-inch wide ring found in Sweden and known as the Forsaringen in Swedish.
The inscription described how people in the Viking era handled fines in a flexible and practical manner. It is highlighted by research from the Department of Economic History and International Relations at Stockholm University, recently published in the Scandinavian Economic History Review.
“The Forsaringen inscription “uksa … auk aura tua” was previously interpreted to mean that fines had to be paid with both an ox and two ore of silver. This would imply that the guilty party had to pay with two different types of goods, which would have been both impractical and time-consuming,” says Rodney Edvinsson, Professor of Economic History at Stockholm University, who conducted the study.
The ring is an iron ring from Hälsingland and has been dated to the 9th or 10th centuries. Its runic inscription describes fines for a specific offence where payment would be paid either with an oxen or silver. It is believed to have been used as a door handle and is known as the oldest preserved legal text in Scandinavia.
In changing the translation of “auk” from its previous interpretation “and” to a new interpretation “also” its meaning changes. It means that fines could be paid with either an ox or by two ores of silver. An ore would be equivalent to around 25 grams of silver.
“This indicates a much more flexible system, where both oxen and silver could be used as units of payment. If a person had easier access to oxen than to silver, they could pay their fines with an ox. Conversely, if someone had silver but no oxen, they could pay with two ore of silver,” says Rodney Edvinsson.
