422
Exchange rates, prices, and wages, 1277–2008
From an exhibition at the Museum of National Antiquities, Stockholm. No Swedish market price notations for consumer goods exist before 1290. However, a few prices are recorded in the provincial laws, mainly in connection with various fines. According to the Gutalag from the early 13th century, a dead person’s relatives could demand the following payments for manslaughter: - Slave – 225 grams of silver (above) - Free non-Gotlander – 2 kg of silver (middle) - Free Gotlander – 4.8 kg of silver (below).
with land transactions or the bequeathing of property. These prices seem to conform well to outright market prices. Price tariffs set by the authorities are not used in this study. Tariffs generally aimed at lowering market prices during dearth, and it is not known to what extent such maximum prices were followed.
8.4.2.
Units of measurement
For beer, one barrel is assumed to comprise 117.5 litres.12 For butter and wax, prices are often given per lispund. The lispund is assumed to equal 6.647 kg, which is the weight known from the 16th century.13 Butter prices could also be given per barrel. This constitutes a problem, since there were at least three barrels in use in the butter trade: one of 13 (or 13½), one of 16 and one of 18 lispund.14 The use of the 13 (or 13½) lispund barrel seems to have been limited to West Sweden, whereas the 16 lispund barrel was commonly used in Uppland and other parts of East Sweden. The 18 lispund barrel is documented from southern Sweden. For copper, prices are usually given per ship pound (skeppund = 20 lispund). The weight of the medieval ship pound is not known for certain but was probably about 133 kg, which is the weight known from the 16th century.15 12 13 14 15
Sahlgren (1981, col. 58), and Morell (1988, p. 33). Morell (1988, p. 10). Hammarström (1956, p. 380 n 20), Dovring (1947, p. 204), and Jansson (1995, p. 274). Jansson (1981, col. 544), and Morell (1988, pp. 10 and 46).