Grivna

The grivna was a currency as well as a measure of weight used in Kievan Rus' and other states in Eastern Europe from the 11th century.

Round grivna (about 200 g (0.44 lb))

Name

• In Russian: гривна (grivna)
• In Ukrainian: гривня (hryvnia)
• In Belarusian: грыўня (hryŭnia)

Early history

The term grivna originally referred to a necklace or torque. However, the reason for its later use as a unit of weight remains unclear. Archaeological discoveries of grivnas reveal that they were not necklaces but rather bullion of precious metals, typically silver. The weight and shape of grivnas varied across regions.

In Novgorod and Pskov, grivnas were thin, elongated ingots, often round-edged or three-edged. In contrast, Kievan grivnas were shaped like elongated rhombuses. While both gold and silver were used, silver was the predominant material.

The weight of a grivna was initially close to that of a Roman or Byzantine pound. Kievan grivnas weighed approximately 140–165 grams (0.309–0.364 lb), while Novgorod grivnas were heavier, weighing around 204 grams (0.450 lb). The Novgorod grivna later became the basis for monetary systems in northeastern Rus', including the emerging Grand Duchy of Moscow.