velkikirjat
Velkikirjat is a Finnish term used to refer to historical debt ledgers that recorded money owed, goods lent, or services rendered to individuals or institutions. The plural form velkikirjat is commonly found in archival descriptions and scholarly writings, with velkikirja used for the singular. These ledgers were maintained by a variety of actors, including merchants, town authorities, parishes, and households, and they appear in sources from late medieval times through the early modern period and beyond in some regions.
Typical contents of velkikirjat include entries that name the debtor and creditor, the amount owed, the currency,
The main functions of velkikirjat were to manage credit relations, provide evidence in disputes, and support
Preservation and research of velkikirjat rely on archival collections, including national and university archives. Many examples