Encounters: Medieval Economy in 50 Objects

Bys: Skambraks, Tanja, Antenhofer, Christina, Müller, Ulrich

Exploring medieval economy through its artifacts, this book presents 50 object biographies that illuminate daily life, economic ethics, production, trade, and finance, offering a tangible perspective on the systems of the long medieval period.

Combining the expertise of three historians and an archaeologist, this book bridges abstract theory with the material realities of the past. This volume examines fifty diverse artifacts, including tally sticks, tools, glassware, and coins, to provide a human-centered understanding of the commercial revolution, agricultural innovations, and the emergence of a consumer society between 500 and 1600. The content is organized into five parts, focusing on economic thought, production, distribution, finance, and everyday life. Empowering students to integrate material culture as a crucial primary source, the book reveals the evolving mentalities and innovative practices that shaped medieval economic behaviour and laid the foundations of our modern world.

Encounters: Medieval Economy in 50 Objects is written for a broad audience, including undergraduate and postgraduate students in history, archaeology, and art history who are seeking a tangible, source-based approach to medieval economy. It is an essential resource for instructors looking for a modular, object-oriented teaching tool that connects material culture with economic theory, providing a refreshing alternative to traditional text-heavy histories. Museum professionals, heritage specialists, and history enthusiasts will also find its accessible narrative and focus on "object biographies" invaluable for contextualizing collections and understanding how everyday items drove the transition to a modern consumer society.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1032715081
• ISBN13: 9781032715087
• Release Date: October 2026
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 292 Pages