Everyone has one, everyone uses it: the axe. But what did something as mundane as an axe look like in the 13th century? Axes were indispensable tools and weapons in the Middle Ages, produced in various shapes and sizes. However, not many original axes have survived. Here, I provide an overview of the archaeological finds and depictions of tool axes from the 13th century, primarily from Germany and other European countries. This article focuses on tool axes—a separate article will cover axes in a military context.
Coins were probably used primarily for market transactions. For larger payments, or payments that had to be made over long distances, transactions were probably not settled in pennies, but in silver by weight (Heß, p. 21).
For example, with round bars such as those found in the provostry of Tom Roden of Corvey Abbey in what is now the town of Höxter.
Silver bars from the provostry of Tom Roden of Corvey Abbey near Höxter, which were probably used as currency. Silver content >95% and weighing between 272g and 408g. Dated to the middle of the 13th century (Krabath 2001, plate 149).
A very often used unit of weigh was the mark, e.g. the Cologne mark, weighing 234g for 160 Cologne Pfennigs (Nau, page 93), resulting in a weight of 1.461g per Pfennig. Previously, there was also the Karlspfund, which was minted in 240 Pfennigs. The Cologne mark remained stable in weight and purity/fineness for centuries and was widely used during the Salian and Staufer periods (Nau 1977, page 93) before it was replaced by other currencies (e.g., the Heller). However, the Cologne mark remained in use as a unit of weight for larger payments (Heß, p. 22) also in later times before being replaced by gold and groschen coins.
What tools are needed for coin production? I am not aware of any evidence from the 13th century that describes the exact equipment used in a coin workshop. For the 15th century, however, we find the following illustration from the Spiez Chronicle.
Illustration of a coin workshop. Source: Diebold Schilling, Spiez Chronicle, Mss.h.h.I.16, Bern 1484/85, folio 222. Link: https://www.e-codices.ch/de/searchresult/list/one/bbb/Mss-hh-I0016
The right to mint coins was a royal prerogative (See Sachsenspiegel and Schwabenspiegel, Landrecht Chapter 364). This prerogative was granted to Archbishops, Bishops, Monasteries, Dukes, Counts, and since 1216 also to cities (Annweiler in the Pfalz through Emperor Friedrich II).
Between 1197 and 1260, there were 414 mints in the Regnum Teutonicum (i.e., for the part of the Holy Roman Empire north of the Alps). As cities, only Annweiler, Bern, Lübeck, Mühlhausen, and Oppenheim. More than half (277 pieces) are secular dynasties (Nau, Seite 89).
The so called “6 Board Chest” is a simple chest construction consisting of just 6 wooden boards. In contrast to the clamped chests, it is very easy to build yourself because of its simple construction.
