04. Mai |  19:00   |  Wolfgang Pircher (Wien)

»The Sites and Courses of Silver«

Like any other stuff the money-stuff is not always available where persons
needs it. Therefore a system of transportation has to be organized. I
like to show for three historical examples the ways in which this system
worked. The first example deals with the Old Assyrian trade of the
second millennium B.C. Merchandise produced in Mesopotamia was exchanged
with silver in Anatolia. Silver was highly valued in Mesopotamia. Two
caravan trips each year vice versa were possible. This trips were based
on contractual relations between various participants: investors,
money-lenders, guarantors, traders, partners, representatives,
travelling agents, caravan leaders, employees. Coordination between the
two respective localities Assur and Anatolia was assured by means of
letters sent by aspecial deliverya, that is separate from and faster
than the heavily loaded caravans, which also took mail along (Klaas
R.Veenhof). A highly administrative standard was characteristically for
this trade.

The second example deals with the silver mines in Laureion in relation
to classical Athens. Typical for the mining of Laureion was the high
technological standard. The silver of Laureion were minted in Athens.
This silver currency, the Athenian Owls, was acceptable as exchange all
over Greece.

The third example focuses on the mining in Potosã (Peru) from the 16th
century onwards. In this case a specific administrative development
meets a technological one to produce the silver, which was minted in
Spain and spread all over Europe. Given the specific conditions of
Potosã , the long distances for shipping the silver to Spain and the
financial situation of the Spanish monarchy an impressive financial
network was established.