All that glitters: What was the role of silver in Roman Iron Age Scotland and in the development of early medieval polities?

Miller, Stephen (2025) All that glitters: What was the role of silver in Roman Iron Age Scotland and in the development of early medieval polities? MPhil(R) thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

This thesis will explore how emerging kingdoms in early medieval Scotland utilised Roman silver as a reusable resource to promote their ideological ambitions and power until the Viking Age. This paper will examine the arrival of Roman silver from troop payments, supplying the Roman legions and payments made, firstly, in denarii to local communities and later in silver plate.

Local communities and growing kingdoms transformed Roman silver from coin and hacksilver into valued objects that reflected their own needs and ambitions. Roman silver was first transformed into massive silver chains, indicating the large quantities of silver available to indigenous communities, while resting in the hands of limited elites. The chains had extended use-life, evidenced by the replacement of clasps in at least two cases. There was also a transformation of silver into other esteemed objects, including brooches.

The development of the brooch styles, ornamentation and decoration offers insight into the developing communities of Early Medieval Scotland. Styles merge over time becoming influenced by other communities including the Anglo-Saxon world and the growing impact of Christianity. Prior to the Viking Age there is evidence of the shortage of silver available to local people while they maintained a desire to craft objects that displayed status and position by debasing silver with other alloys.

• Item Type: Thesis (MPhil(R))
• Qualification Level: Masters
• Subjects: C Auxiliary Sciences of History > CC Archaeology
• Colleges/Schools: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Humanities > Archaeology
• Supervisor's Name: Driscoll, Professor Stephen and Harrison, Dr. Stephen
• Date of Award: 2025
• Depositing User: Theses Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:2025-84993
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 07 Apr 2025 13:24
• Last Modified: 07 Apr 2025 13:26
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.84993
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/84993