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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
1/2 Mina
Material
Lead
Manufacture
Cast
Shape
Triangle
Length
6.00 cm
Width
5.30 cm
Height
1.25 cm
Metrology
| Mass (g) | Mass (grain) | Date of measurement | Reference | fragmented | cleaned | reference weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 212.60 | - | Sept. 3, 2019 | Autopsy Louise Willocx | Yes | No | Yes |
| 212.51 | - | - | Meyer 2001–03 | Yes | No | No |
Iconography
| Symbol | Technique | Direction | Position | Number | Synecdoche |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hermes | Relief | LEFT | Head | ||
| Petasos | Relief | LEFT | |||
| Caduceus | Relief | LEFT |
Wear
Worn
Corrosion
Corroded
Handle
No
Suspension hole
No
Recarved mould
No
Recarved weight
No
Intentionally destroyed
Yes
Archaeological description
Ashmolean Museum: Lead weight.
Meyer 2001–03: Histrian weight of the autonomous period. Triangular lead weight, 212.51 gr., 6.02 x 5.29 x 1.3 cm. Obv. Head of Hermes l. with petasos and caduceus, HMIHPO[N], all within moulded border with double profile. Rev. Blank. AN 2004.29. One-half mina according to the legend, but the corners have been clipped off, probably to accommodate the object to some form of reuse. The raised frame, with a thicker border outside and a thinner inside, is the same as in weight no. 15.
Autoptic examination: Lead weight, triangular shape. Signs of wear and corrosion: chippings; some small strokes on both faces; the corners of the triangle are all broken with clear cuts. On the obverse, frame and depiction in relief: Head of Hermes to the left with petasos and caduceus. Below, legend in relief: HMIHRO[Ṇ]. The reverse is flat and blank.
Meyer 2001–03: Histrian weight of the autonomous period. Triangular lead weight, 212.51 gr., 6.02 x 5.29 x 1.3 cm. Obv. Head of Hermes l. with petasos and caduceus, HMIHPO[N], all within moulded border with double profile. Rev. Blank. AN 2004.29. One-half mina according to the legend, but the corners have been clipped off, probably to accommodate the object to some form of reuse. The raised frame, with a thicker border outside and a thinner inside, is the same as in weight no. 15.
Autoptic examination: Lead weight, triangular shape. Signs of wear and corrosion: chippings; some small strokes on both faces; the corners of the triangle are all broken with clear cuts. On the obverse, frame and depiction in relief: Head of Hermes to the left with petasos and caduceus. Below, legend in relief: HMIHRO[Ṇ]. The reverse is flat and blank.
Autopsy
Yes
INSCRIPTION
| Language | Technique | Legend type |
|---|---|---|
| Greek | Relief | Denomination |
Fac simile
HMIHPOṆ
Edition
Ἡμιμ̣ν̣α̣ῖον̣?
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 2004.29 |
Bibliography
| Reference | Page/Column | Reference (number) | Plate / Figure | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meyer 2001–03 | 55, 71 | 18 | fig. 18 | None |
| Gramaticu 2015a | 32, 43 | 24 | pl. 9/24 | None |
VARIA