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Copyright credit: Meyer 2001–03
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Copyright credit: Meyer 2001–03
ARCHAEOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE WEIGHT
Authority
Chaireas, agoranomos (Istros)
Mint
Istros
Denomination
1/8 Mina
Material
Lead
Manufacture
Cast
Shape
Rectangle
Length
4.12 cm
Width
4.94 cm
Height
0.66 cm
Metrology
| Mass (g) | Mass (grain) | Date of measurement | Reference | fragmented | cleaned | reference weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78.49 | - | - | Meyer 2001–03 | No | No | Yes |
Iconography
| Symbol | Technique | Direction | Position | Number | Synecdoche |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eagle | Relief | RIGHT | |||
| Dolphin | Relief | RIGHT | |||
| Hermes | Relief | RIGHT | Head | ||
| Petasos | Relief | RIGHT | |||
| Caduceus | Relief | RIGHT |
Wear
Corrosion
Heavily corroded
Handle
Yes
Suspension hole
Yes
Recarved mould
No
Recarved weight
No
Intentionally destroyed
No
Archaeological description
Ashmolean Museum: Lead weight, Hermes with his caduceus staff.
Meyer 2001–03: One-eighth mina. The lobe at the upper side is perforated. Apart from some scuffmarks on the relief designs, the object is fairly well preserved. The inscription on the reverse abbreviates most likely ἀγορανόμου | Χαιρέου, the function and name of the official who issued this series. An agoranomos called Chaireas is also known from a limestone mould for heart-shaped lead weights from Histria, which has been brought into association with the legend XAl appearing on the city's bronze coinage with Demeter on the obverse in the second and possibly early-first centuries BC
Meyer 2001–03: One-eighth mina. The lobe at the upper side is perforated. Apart from some scuffmarks on the relief designs, the object is fairly well preserved. The inscription on the reverse abbreviates most likely ἀγορανόμου | Χαιρέου, the function and name of the official who issued this series. An agoranomos called Chaireas is also known from a limestone mould for heart-shaped lead weights from Histria, which has been brought into association with the legend XAl appearing on the city's bronze coinage with Demeter on the obverse in the second and possibly early-first centuries BC
Autopsy
No
INSCRIPTION
| Language | Technique | Legend type |
|---|---|---|
| Greek | Relief | Authority, Denomination |
Fac simile
ΟΓ
Δ .
ΑΓΟΡΑ
ΧΑ . ΡΕ
Edition
Ὄγ|δ[ο](ον) || ἀγορα(νόμου) | Χα[ι]ρέ(ου).
Monogram
ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONTEXT
Findspot (region)
Findspot (site)
context
CIRCUMSTANCES OF ACQUISITION
Region
City
Date of first acquisition
Dec. 31, 1996
circumstances
Meyer and Moreno 2004: In 1996 a private collector of ancient coins received a posted parcel containing 43 metal objects, supposedly lead weights from ancient Istria on the western shore of the Black Sea. These came unsolicited from an antiquities dealer based outside Britain, and given that they would otherwise most likely have been dispersed on the open market, the recipient notified the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford and deposited the package at the Department of Antiquities.
DATING OF THE WEIGHT
Curatorial Section
GREEK
Time frame
FROM
-400
TO
-100
Comments on Chronology
COLLECTION HISTORY
Collection
| Name | Date of acquisition | Inventory number |
|---|---|---|
| Ashmolean Museum (Oxford) | Dec. 31, 1996 | AN 2004.16 |
Bibliography
| Reference | Page/Column | Reference (number) | Plate / Figure | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meyer 2001–03 | 52, 68 | 5 | fig. 5 | None |
| Gramaticu 2015a | 31, 41 | 14 | pl. 7/14 | None |
| Killen 2017a | 203 | Istr I b 23 | None | None |
VARIA