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Copyright credit: Ashmolean Museum / Louise Willocx
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Copyright credit: Ashmolean Museum / Louise Willocx
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Copyright credit: Meyer 2001–03
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Copyright credit: Meyer 2001–03
ARCHAEOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE WEIGHT
Authority
Mint
Istros
Denomination
1/8 Mina
Material
Copper alloy (bronze or brass)
Manufacture
Cast
Shape
Triangle
Length
4.50 cm
Width
4.15 cm
Height
1.40 cm
Metrology
| Mass (g) | Mass (grain) | Date of measurement | Reference | fragmented | cleaned | reference weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 71.20 | - | Sept. 3, 2019 | Autopsy Louise Willocx | No | No | Yes |
| 71.24 | - | - | Meyer 2001–03 | No | No | No |
Iconography
| Symbol | Technique | Direction | Position | Number | Synecdoche |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eagle | Relief | RIGHT | |||
| Dolphin | Relief | RIGHT | |||
| Zeus / Jupiter | Relief | FACING | Head |
Wear
Worn
Corrosion
Lightly corroded
Handle
No
Suspension hole
Yes
Recarved mould
No
Recarved weight
No
Intentionally destroyed
No
Archaeological description
Ashmolean Museum: Lead weight with eagle and dolphin.
Meyer 2001–03: Histrian weight of the autonomous period. Triangular bronze weight, 71.24 gr., 4.55 x 4.65 x 0.94 cm. Obv. Facing head. Rev. Eagle on dolphin, ΟΓΔΟ below. AN 2004.25. One-eighth mina. The cut at the left corner was intentional, either to calibrate the weight after casting or provide a hole for suspension. Bronze usually ensures better preservation than lead, but this particular piece is worn. Even before the weight entered circulation, the frontal head on the reverse must have been amorphous.
Autoptic examination: Lead weight, triangular shape, golden reflections. Signs of wear and corrosion: the lower left corner is broken (former suspension hole?). On the obverse, depiction in high relief: Facing head. On the reverse, depiction hardly visible of an eagle on a dolphin to the left in high relief. Below, legend in relief: Ο̣ΓΔ[Ο]. Another mark in relief above? (uncertain and illegible).
Meyer 2001–03: Histrian weight of the autonomous period. Triangular bronze weight, 71.24 gr., 4.55 x 4.65 x 0.94 cm. Obv. Facing head. Rev. Eagle on dolphin, ΟΓΔΟ below. AN 2004.25. One-eighth mina. The cut at the left corner was intentional, either to calibrate the weight after casting or provide a hole for suspension. Bronze usually ensures better preservation than lead, but this particular piece is worn. Even before the weight entered circulation, the frontal head on the reverse must have been amorphous.
Autoptic examination: Lead weight, triangular shape, golden reflections. Signs of wear and corrosion: the lower left corner is broken (former suspension hole?). On the obverse, depiction in high relief: Facing head. On the reverse, depiction hardly visible of an eagle on a dolphin to the left in high relief. Below, legend in relief: Ο̣ΓΔ[Ο]. Another mark in relief above? (uncertain and illegible).
Autopsy
Yes
INSCRIPTION
| Language | Technique | Legend type |
|---|---|---|
| Greek | Relief | Denomination, Mint |
Fac simile
Σ̣
ΟΓΔ
Edition
[Ἰ]σ̣(τριανῶν) | ὄ̣γδ(oον).
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 2004.25 |
Bibliography
| Reference | Page/Column | Reference (number) | Plate / Figure | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meyer 2001–03 | 54, 70 | 14 | fig. 14 | None |
| Gramaticu 2015a | 32, 44 | 26 | pl. 10/26 | None |
| Killen 2017a | 202 | Istr I b 17 | None | None |
VARIA