Med mynt i munn i middelalder

Abstract

Mouth-Deposited Coins in Medieval Burials The intentionally deposited coin in a late medieval grave in the ruins of St Mary's Church in Tønsberg raised issues such as: how common was it to be buried with coins in the medieval period, and who and why was someone buried with coins? It does not seem that the custom can be linked to gender, age or geography, and possibly not to social status. However, human remains with traces of diseases have been observed, and there are several children buried with coins. It may be that the dead were selected because they were vulnerable, both before and after death. The chosen ones may have been exposed because they died suddenly, and that the required rituals were not implemented. It may appear that the burial practice was linked to folk magic concerning revenants in combination with Christian beliefs about the afterlife.

Keywords

• Middelalder
• Grav
• Gravskikk
• Mynt
• Osteoarkeologi
• Skjelett