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Embodied colonialism : the cultural meaning of silver in a Swedish colonial perspective in the 17th century

Monié Nordin, Jonas LU orcid (2013) In Post-Medieval Archaeology 46(1). p.143-165
Abstract
Silver had an emblematic position in the 17th-century Atlantic world. After the Spanish had discovered silver ores in America, the metal’s meaning became symbolic of colonial dominion, of great wealth and providential fortune. Sweden too initiated a colonial project to obtain silver in the mountainous regions of Lapland. Silver-works were founded in order to refine the metal, and the industry borrowed many ideas from the American plantation system as mediated through Dutch entrepreneurs. This process led to the increased importance of silver, seen in royal dress and furniture amongst other products associated with the colonial world.
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author
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Post-Medieval Archaeology
volume
46
issue
1
pages
23 pages
publisher
Maney Publishing
external identifiers
  • scopus:84861992433
ISSN
1745-8137
DOI
10.1179/0079423612Z.0000000007
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
99860446-a39e-423d-a4b9-1adc0691d031
date added to LUP
2026-01-20 19:45:58
date last changed
2026-02-10 04:01:15
@article{99860446-a39e-423d-a4b9-1adc0691d031,
  abstract     = {{Silver had an emblematic position in the 17th-century Atlantic world. After the Spanish had discovered silver ores in America, the metal’s meaning became symbolic of colonial dominion, of great wealth and providential fortune. Sweden too initiated a colonial project to obtain silver in the mountainous regions of Lapland. Silver-works were founded in order to refine the metal, and the industry borrowed many ideas from the American plantation system as mediated through Dutch entrepreneurs. This process led to the increased importance of silver, seen in royal dress and furniture amongst other products associated with the colonial world.}},
  author       = {{Monié Nordin, Jonas}},
  issn         = {{1745-8137}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{143--165}},
  publisher    = {{Maney Publishing}},
  series       = {{Post-Medieval Archaeology}},
  title        = {{Embodied colonialism : the cultural meaning of silver in a Swedish colonial perspective in the 17th century}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1179/0079423612Z.0000000007}},
  doi          = {{10.1179/0079423612Z.0000000007}},
  volume       = {{46}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}