Chapter Uso e diffusione della ‘moneta alternativa’ in Sardegna tra XI e XIV secolo

Abstract

Between the 11th and 13th centuries, the economy of Sardinia (which was then divided into four kingdoms or giudicati: Cagliari, Arborea, Torres, and Gallura) was characterized by a limited use of currency, which was compensated through the exchange of goods and services. The integration of Sardinia into Tyrrhenian commercial trade between the 12th and 13th centuries facilitated the transition towards a monetary economy, driven by Pisan and Genoese merchants who had established themselves on the island. However, this did not lead to the disappearance of alternative means of exchange; rather, it brought about a shift in the relationship between these alternative means and currency itself. The purpose of this study is to thoroughly investigate the use and dissemination of non-monetary exchange methods in Sardinia between the 13th and 14th centuries, while relating them to the role and function of currency within the unique economic context of the island.