Medieval Chinese Coin Found in England Suggests a Vast Medieval Trade Route

A recent discovery dating to the 11th century offers hints of a world that was more connected than previously thought



A metal detectorist discovered the coin, which dates back to the Northern Song Dynasty in China. (Courtesy of Hampshire Cultural Trust)

By Isis Davis-Marks
SMITHSONIANMAG.COM
JANUARY 4, 2021 4:43PM

For the second time in three years, an 11th-century Chinese coin has been found in England, a possible indication that medieval trade between England and the Far East was more widespread than previously thought, according to a recent blog post by Cambridge historian Caitlin Green.

As Mark Bridge writes for the Sunday Times, the Northern Song Dynasty coin was discovered with a metal detector in a field in Hampshire, England. Dated to between 1008 and 1016 A.D., the 0.98-inch copper-alloy coin was the second medieval Chinese coin found in England; the first was found across the country in 2018 in Cheshire, per the Independent’s Jon Sharman. Other Chinese currency excavated in England dates to later periods.

When documenting the 2018 discovery, researchers at the British Museum wrote that, “It is doubtful that this is a genuine medieval find (i.e. present in the country due to trade and lost accidentally) but more likely a more recent loss from a curated collection.” But with the most recent news, Green argues that the presence of two similar coins increases the likelihood of them being genuine medieval finds.

Though losses from private collections can explain unexpected archaeological discoveries, Green points to documentary evidence that an Englishman served as an envoy from the Mongol emperor Ghengis Khan in the 1240s, which could explain the presence of the Chinese coins in England. Records also indicate that a Mongol envoy visited Edward II in 1313.

More:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/medieval-chinese-coin-found-england-suggests-vast-medieval-trade-route-180976675/