DOI Artikel:
Bingener, Andreas: Medieval metal trade in and around the Harz Mountains - markets and routes of transport
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.56859#0159
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important centre of metal crafts with bell-founders and harness makers amongst
others who depended on a continuous supply of raw metals (Bächtold 1910,
147). The Dinant merchants were allowed to pass toll-free through Cologne until
the end of the 12th century, but had to pay a small toll from 1203 onwards. In this
document from 1203, it is also mentioned that the merchants were able to cross
the Rhine already at Neuss to head homewards up the Maas from there14.
A document from Quedlinburg dated around 1184-1203, reports the purchase
of one hundredweight of copper for the casting of a bell. The proximity might
suggest that the metal was purchased at the market of Goslar. There is only vague
evidence of the trade in Goslar metal with Upper Germany. In 1128, the abbot
Wignand was commissioned by Bishop Otto of Bamberg (1102-1139) to obtain
copper for the roofing of the Bamberg Cathedral and its towers. With great
difficulty, the abbot had 300 hundredweight brought to Schmalkalden. The use of
Schmalkalden as a stopover suggests the Harz as the origin of the copper. The
abbot also reports having been in Saxony in September 1128 (Bitter 1940, 41-
42).
It seems not unlikely that Duisburg merchants transported metals from the
Harz up and down the Rhine in the High Middle Ages. Together with the Utrecht
merchants, they were referred to, even in the medieval ages, as the Rheni
mercatores. However, it has so far not been possible to find direct evidence to
support this assumption15. The location of Goslar on the northern rim of the Harz
was somewhat remote from the major trading routes. Even though merchants
from the Maas region bought metals directly at the market in Goslar it seems
likely that the Goslar merchants sold their products either at the Brunswick
market, a few hours away, or travelled further north overland. Emperor
Frederick I. instructed the Saxon duke Bernhard in a document issued in
November 1188 to exempt the citizens of Goslar from the toll at Artlenburg on
the Elbe. Travelling from Goslar, Artlenburg can be reached via the Lüneburg
Heath. From there by crossing the Elbe, one could have reached the important
maritime trade centres of Hamburg and Lübeck. This has yet to be estabished16.
14 Bode 1893-1922, Vol. 1, 383-384 Nr. 359 (1203). Bächtold 1910, 95-97, re.
Neuß as customs office and market place: 70-71. Bitter 1940, 47-49. Hillebrand 1969,
37.
15 Bächtold 1910, 68-69. Ellmers 1972, 205-206. According to Brachmann 1992,
15 this statement must be re-evaluated.
10 Bode 1893-1922, Vol. 1, 356-357, Nr. 323. Bächtold 1910, 150. Hillebrand
1969, 47-48. Lüneburg was one of the most important centres of trade in northern
Germany during the late middle ages. Sea fish, particularly herring, and the vital salt were
important centre of metal crafts with bell-founders and harness makers amongst
others who depended on a continuous supply of raw metals (Bächtold 1910,
147). The Dinant merchants were allowed to pass toll-free through Cologne until
the end of the 12th century, but had to pay a small toll from 1203 onwards. In this
document from 1203, it is also mentioned that the merchants were able to cross
the Rhine already at Neuss to head homewards up the Maas from there14.
A document from Quedlinburg dated around 1184-1203, reports the purchase
of one hundredweight of copper for the casting of a bell. The proximity might
suggest that the metal was purchased at the market of Goslar. There is only vague
evidence of the trade in Goslar metal with Upper Germany. In 1128, the abbot
Wignand was commissioned by Bishop Otto of Bamberg (1102-1139) to obtain
copper for the roofing of the Bamberg Cathedral and its towers. With great
difficulty, the abbot had 300 hundredweight brought to Schmalkalden. The use of
Schmalkalden as a stopover suggests the Harz as the origin of the copper. The
abbot also reports having been in Saxony in September 1128 (Bitter 1940, 41-
42).
It seems not unlikely that Duisburg merchants transported metals from the
Harz up and down the Rhine in the High Middle Ages. Together with the Utrecht
merchants, they were referred to, even in the medieval ages, as the Rheni
mercatores. However, it has so far not been possible to find direct evidence to
support this assumption15. The location of Goslar on the northern rim of the Harz
was somewhat remote from the major trading routes. Even though merchants
from the Maas region bought metals directly at the market in Goslar it seems
likely that the Goslar merchants sold their products either at the Brunswick
market, a few hours away, or travelled further north overland. Emperor
Frederick I. instructed the Saxon duke Bernhard in a document issued in
November 1188 to exempt the citizens of Goslar from the toll at Artlenburg on
the Elbe. Travelling from Goslar, Artlenburg can be reached via the Lüneburg
Heath. From there by crossing the Elbe, one could have reached the important
maritime trade centres of Hamburg and Lübeck. This has yet to be estabished16.
14 Bode 1893-1922, Vol. 1, 383-384 Nr. 359 (1203). Bächtold 1910, 95-97, re.
Neuß as customs office and market place: 70-71. Bitter 1940, 47-49. Hillebrand 1969,
37.
15 Bächtold 1910, 68-69. Ellmers 1972, 205-206. According to Brachmann 1992,
15 this statement must be re-evaluated.
10 Bode 1893-1922, Vol. 1, 356-357, Nr. 323. Bächtold 1910, 150. Hillebrand
1969, 47-48. Lüneburg was one of the most important centres of trade in northern
Germany during the late middle ages. Sea fish, particularly herring, and the vital salt were