Peges

Peges are small, disc-shaped ceramic tokens used as a form of currency and as durable records of debts and obligations in the Pegean culture, a fictional setting used here for reference. In everyday use, peges function both as money and as compact ledgers, with individual tokens representing fixed monetary values and acting as receipts for loans, wages, or dowries.

Manufacture and design: Peges are typically fired clay, about 18 to 23 millimeters in diameter and 2 to 3 millimeters thick. Many examples bear stamped numerals or abstract pictographs in glaze, with common motifs including geometric patterns and maritime symbols.

Denominations and issuance: Values are assigned by local authorities or merchant guilds. Denominations are often distinguished by color, symbol, or size, with small peges used for daily transactions and larger ones for longer-term obligations.

Circulation and use: Tokens are circulated in markets and households; they can be strung on cords to indicate credit lines, stored in chests as savings, or exchanged in bundles during market day. In some communities, peges function as dowry or wage records when paired with ledgers.

Cultural significance and history: The pege system records social obligations and trust, offering a tangible trace of economic interactions. Hoarded or defaced peges may carry social stigma, while intact collections illuminate trade networks. The earliest references appear in merchant records and ritual inventories dating to the early medieval period in the Pegean region.

Etymology and name: The word pege derives from the Pegean language, meaning bond or link, reflecting its role as a token of obligation. The plural form peges is used for the currency set. See also: token coinage; currencies in fictional worlds; exchange tokens.