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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: 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
7.20 cm
Width
7.40 cm
Height
1.45 cm
Metrology
| Mass (g) | Mass (grain) | Date of measurement | Reference | fragmented | cleaned | reference weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 302.80 | - | Sept. 3, 2019 | Autopsy Louise Willocx | No | No | Yes |
| 302.74 | - | - | Meyer 2001–03 | No | No | No |
Iconography
| Symbol | Technique | Direction | Position | Number | Synecdoche |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eagle | Relief | LEFT | |||
| Dolphin | Relief | LEFT |
Wear
Lightly 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 on dolphin?
Meyer 2001–03: Histrian weight of the autonomous period. Triangular lead weight, 302.74 gr., 7.2 x 8.4 x 1.2 cm. Obv. Eagle on dolphin I., ΙΣ above and HMI below, all within raised edges. Rev. Blank field within raised border. AN 2004.30. One-half mina. The upper corner is pierced inside the raised border. Some scuffs and general wear on the surface, but otherwise the piece is in good condition.
Autoptic examination: Lead weight, triangular shape, suspension hole on the upper corner. Signs of wear and corrosion: chippings; some small strokes; cuts on the dolphin. Frame on both faces. On the obverse, depiction in relief of an eagle on a dolphin to the left. Above and below, legend in relief: IΣ and HMI. The reverse is blank.
Meyer 2001–03: Histrian weight of the autonomous period. Triangular lead weight, 302.74 gr., 7.2 x 8.4 x 1.2 cm. Obv. Eagle on dolphin I., ΙΣ above and HMI below, all within raised edges. Rev. Blank field within raised border. AN 2004.30. One-half mina. The upper corner is pierced inside the raised border. Some scuffs and general wear on the surface, but otherwise the piece is in good condition.
Autoptic examination: Lead weight, triangular shape, suspension hole on the upper corner. Signs of wear and corrosion: chippings; some small strokes; cuts on the dolphin. Frame on both faces. On the obverse, depiction in relief of an eagle on a dolphin to the left. Above and below, legend in relief: IΣ and HMI. The reverse is blank.
Autopsy
Yes
INSCRIPTION
| Language | Technique | Legend type |
|---|---|---|
| Greek | Relief | Denomination, Mint |
Fac simile
ΙΣ
ΗΜΙ
Edition
Ἰσ(τριανῶν) | ἡμι(μναῖον).
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 2004.30 |
Bibliography
| Reference | Page/Column | Reference (number) | Plate / Figure | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meyer 2001–03 | 55, 71 | 19 | fig. 19 | None |
| Gramaticu 2015a | 31, 39 | 9 | pl. 5/9 | None |
| Killen 2017a | 201 | Istr I b 3 | None | None |
VARIA