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Copyright credit: Bibliothèque nationale de France / Louise Willocx
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Copyright credit: Bibliothèque nationale de France / Louise Willocx
ARCHAEOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE WEIGHT
Authority
Mint
Athens
Denomination
1 Mina
Material
Lead
Manufacture
Cast
Shape
Square
Length
5.70 cm
Width
5.50 cm
Height
1.80 cm
Metrology
| Mass (g) | Mass (grain) | Date of measurement | Reference | fragmented | cleaned | reference weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 472.40 | - | Jan. 16, 2019 | Autopsy Charles Doyen | No | No | Yes |
| 474.50 | - | - | BnF + Froehner | No | No | No |
Iconography
| Symbol | Technique | Direction | Position | Number | Synecdoche |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dolphin |
Wear
Lightly worn
Corrosion
Lightly corroded
Handle
No
Suspension hole
No
Recarved mould
No
Recarved weight
No
Intentionally destroyed
No
Archaeological description
Froehner: Poids carré en plomb, tv. À Athènes. H et L 0,053 à 0,054. A Dauphin à gauche la tête en bas W μνᾶ. Poids de 474 gr 5 décigr. C'est un des plus lourds que l'on connaisse.
BnF: Poids athénien carré. Plomb. L. 5,5 cm ; l. 5,5 cm ; Poids: 474,5 gr. Ep. 1,55 cm (1,85 cm avec le relief). M-[N]-A. Un dauphin. Trouvé à Athènes.
Autoptic examination: Lead weight, square shape. Signs of wear and corrosion: chippings; strokes on the corners, especially on the dolphin's beak on the lower left corner; bumps on the upper left and on the lower right corners; vertical cuts on the right between the letters M and N; on the reverse, hole on the upper edge, vertical bumps on the left edge and on the lower left corner, groove on the upper left edge; grooves and strokes on the lower and right sides; long horizontal cut on the upper, left and right sides; little vertical cuts on the left side. Bevelled corners; straight edges and sides. On the obverse, depiction of a dolphin towards the lower left in relief. The dolphin has a triangular dorsal and a flattened ventral fin. Its beak is pointing to the lower left corner and its tail is touching the upper right edge. Around the dolphin, letters in relief: MNA (retrograde). (Height without relief: 1.5 cm).
BnF: Poids athénien carré. Plomb. L. 5,5 cm ; l. 5,5 cm ; Poids: 474,5 gr. Ep. 1,55 cm (1,85 cm avec le relief). M-[N]-A. Un dauphin. Trouvé à Athènes.
Autoptic examination: Lead weight, square shape. Signs of wear and corrosion: chippings; strokes on the corners, especially on the dolphin's beak on the lower left corner; bumps on the upper left and on the lower right corners; vertical cuts on the right between the letters M and N; on the reverse, hole on the upper edge, vertical bumps on the left edge and on the lower left corner, groove on the upper left edge; grooves and strokes on the lower and right sides; long horizontal cut on the upper, left and right sides; little vertical cuts on the left side. Bevelled corners; straight edges and sides. On the obverse, depiction of a dolphin towards the lower left in relief. The dolphin has a triangular dorsal and a flattened ventral fin. Its beak is pointing to the lower left corner and its tail is touching the upper right edge. Around the dolphin, letters in relief: MNA (retrograde). (Height without relief: 1.5 cm).
Autopsy
Yes
INSCRIPTION
| Language | Technique | Legend type |
|---|---|---|
| Relief | Denomination |
Fac simile
MNA
Edition
Mνᾶ
Monogram
ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONTEXT
Findspot (region)
Findspot (site)
context
CIRCUMSTANCES OF ACQUISITION
Region
Greece: Attica
City
Athens [Athenae]
Date of first acquisition
Dec. 31, 1925
circumstances
Found in Athens. Bequeathed to the BnF by Froehner in 1925.
DATING OF THE WEIGHT
Curatorial Section
GREEK
Time frame
FROM
-500
TO
-27
Comments on Chronology
COLLECTION HISTORY
Collection
| Name | Date of acquisition | Inventory number |
|---|---|---|
| National Library of France (Paris) | Dec. 31, 1925 | Froehner 935 |
| Froehner Collection | None | None |
Bibliography
| Reference | Page/Column | Reference (number) | Plate / Figure | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | ||||
VARIA