The Heritage of Money and Coinage: objects and practices in transformation

The study of money and coinage is a scholarly topic of highest relevance for society and perfectly suited to be treated interdisciplinary, applying diachronic and cross-cultural perspectives. The heritage and impact of pre-modern and early modern monies is vast and it is culturally deeply embedded in today’s global societies: in economy, social life, the arts, cultural heritage, industrial heritage, societal organisation, and more. Today, society is undergoing great changes when it comes to the use of physical and digital monies. This creates practical challenges and possibilities, but also raises issues regarding citizen rights, social-economic participation, social resilience and personal integrity. To revisit the historical use of economic means in different cultural and temporal settings will provide important perspectives on environment, politics and practices. This involves e.g. the exploitation of natural resources involved in production (physical and digital), and the cognitive, conceptual and intellectual processes involved in ancient monetisation and monetary practices.

The course aims to offer students insights and knowledge about the money and coinage from a heritage, diachronic and cross-cultural perspective: their strong and culturally embedded legacies, and their roles in transformative practices in the past and present.

The program provides to the students knowledge related to the following fields:

• Use, production and types of money
• Money roles in society and heritage over time
• Pre-modern and global concepts of coins and money
• Theory and method of money studies
• Hands-on management, communication and outreach

After completing the course, the students will acquire knowledge in:

• Acquaintance with pre-modern and global concepts of coins, money and related materials, including theories and methods
• Relevant processes of production and use (basic knowledge)
• Basic experience of heritage management of monies as well as of outreach and public discourse in the field
• Understanding and analysing the development, practices and legacies of money within social, economic, and cultural spheres in a global perspective

• Sun 8.6.2025 Afternoon arrival and check-in. City tour and Welcome Session (optional)
• Mon 9.6.2025 to Wed 11.6.2025 Half-day student conferences, half-day additional teaching, lectures, study visits and exercises in Stockholm
• Thurs 12.6.2025 to Fri 13.6.2025 Excursion by bus to the historical mining and minting district and other heritage sites north of Stockholm, Farewell dinner
• Saturday 14.6.2025 Departure

• 29.4.2025 Opening Session: Introductions, practicalities and introductory lecture
• 6.5.2025 Money, Materials and Methods – the Classical period
• 13.5.2025 Global and ethnographical monies
• 20.5.2025 From the Mine to the Mint
• 27.5.2025 Monies in transformation – the past, heritage and future Stockholm Summer School (c. 9.6.-13.6., detailed schedule tba)
• 17.6.2025 Follow-up online session: follow-up exercises, discussion, questions
• 24.6.2025 Assignment submission (via Moodle)

The assessment will be based on the following criteria:

• Completion of all parts of the program – online and physical
• A short oral presentation on a topic of your choice as part of the “Student conference”
• A short, written paper on this topic to be handed in at the end of the course

Motivation Letter

Level of english (According to CEFR)

CV

Students' applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance for the course theme
• Quality of motivation letter
• Track record (CV)
• Relevance for ongoing studies at home university

Dr. Nanouschka Myrberg Burström, Associate Professor and Senior Lecturer, Department of Archaeology and Classical Studies, Stockholm University: Archeology and cultural heritage of Northern Europe, Iron Age and Middle Ages, Numismatics, theory and method

Dr. Alexander Jost, Senior Scientist, Global History and Sinology, Paris Lodron University of Salzburg: Asian Studies, Sinology, Metallurgy

Dr. Stefan Krmnicek, Privatdozent, Institute of Classical Archaeology, University of Tübingen: Classical Studies, Roman coinage and museum curation, Theory and method

Dr. Annalisa Polosa, Associate Professor, Ancient Numismatics, Sapienza Università di Roma: Classical coinage, the Mediterranean World