Money and Pilgrimage in Early Medieval Europe (c. 600–1100)

Abstract

Pilgrims, as long-distance travellers who left familiar territory behind, were frequent users of coined money. They needed it to sustain themselves on the journey, and also to indulge in distribution of alms and other offerings at their destination; many would also use money to engage in casual commerce at all stages of their route. This brief survey considers the range of ways in which pilgrims might have used coins to fulfil practical and spiritual needs, exemplified by case-studies, before looking at possible examples of pilgrims’ coins in the material record.