Excavations at the settlement have been conducted for a number of years by the Den Antikvariske Samling, who have also created a 'living history village' for tourists to visit and learn something about the Viking life.
Ribe is also a contender as the place where the earliest Scandinavian coinage occurred. Although a Viking mint has yet to be discovered (anywhere for that matter), a large number of coins called Wodan/Monster sceattas (pennies) were found in Ribe's original marketplace. Some scholars believe that these coins were brought to Ribe through trade with Frisian/Frankish cultures, or were minted at Hedeby.
Sources
Malmer, Brita. 2007. South Scandinavian coinage in the ninth century. pp. 13-27 in Silver Economy in the Viking Age, James Graham-Campbell and Gareth Williams, eds. Left Coast Press, Walnut Creek, California.
Metcalf, D.M. 2007. Regions around the North Sea with a monetised economy in the pre-Viking and Viking ages. pp. 1-12 in Silver Economy in the Viking Age, James Graham-Campbell and Gareth Williams, eds. Left Coast Press, Walnut Creek, California.
This glossary entry is part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. Thanks to Gudrun Rishede for assistance with this definition. Any mistakes are the responsibility of Kris Hirst.
