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ARCHAEOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE WEIGHT
Authority
Mint
Seleucia Pieria
Denomination
1/4 Mina
Material
Copper alloy (bronze or brass)
Manufacture
Cast
Shape
Square
Length
6.35 cm
Width
6.25 cm
Height
0.60 cm
Metrology
Mass (g) Mass (grain) Date of measurement Reference fragmented cleaned reference weight
117.40 - - Weinberg 1987 No No Yes
Iconography
Symbol Technique Direction Position Number Synecdoche
Zebu Relief LEFT Walking
Anchor Stamped / Countermarked / Struck
Wear
Corrosion
Handle
No
Suspension hole
Yes
Recarved mould
No
Recarved weight
No
Intentionally destroyed
No
Archaeological description
Weinberg 1987: Very nearly square (height: 6.25 cm.; width: 6.35 cm.), [with] a thickness of 0.6 cm. at the edges, but the plate is only ca. 0.3 cm. thick; its weight is 117.4 gr. In relief on the plate, facing left, is a zebu, or humped bull, standing on a straight ground line with its right legs forward and left legs back. Between the forward front leg and the left border moulding is a countermark, in which is an anchor with the long arms pointing downward. The inscription, in two bands – above and below the zebu – reads: ΣΕΛΕΥΚΕΙΟΝ ΤΕΤΑΡΤΟΝ. […] There are reasons to believe that the two weights [Missouri n° 85.6 and Copenhagen n° ABa 57] were cast from the same pattern; this is shown most clearly by the fact that the letters are not all of the same size and that those which are small, or those which are exceptionally large, are the same on both weights. In addition, the spacing of the letters varies markedly, while the alignment is not very careful; these irregularities are the same on both weights, again bespeaking a common pattern.
Autopsy
No
INSCRIPTION
Language Technique Legend type
Greek Relief Denomination, Mint
Fac simile
Edition
Σελεύκειον | τέταρτον.
Monogram
ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONTEXT
Findspot (region)
Findspot (site)
context
CIRCUMSTANCES OF ACQUISITION
Region
City
Date of first acquisition
Dec. 31, 1985
circumstances
Acquired in 1985 by the Museum of Art and Archaeology – University of Missouri (Weinberg Fund purchase)
DATING OF THE WEIGHT
Curatorial Section
GREEK
Time frame
FROM -250 TO -100
Comments on Chronology
According to Seyrig 1946–48, p. 45–46: 301–187/6 BCE; Gatier 1994: mid-2nd c. BCE?
COLLECTION HISTORY
Collection
Name Date of acquisition Inventory number
Museum of Art and Archaeology – University of Missouri (Columbia) Dec. 31, 1985 85.6
Bibliography
Reference Page/Column Reference (number) Plate / Figure Comment
McGill 1986 31 6 fig. None
Weinberg 1987 71*–72* None fig. 1 None
Gatier 1994 144–148 None None None
Finkielsztejn 2014a 73, 75 18 None None
Tekin 2024c None None fig. 22 None
VARIA
Additional comment
6.35×6.25×0.6 cm (at the edges: the plate is only ca. 0.3 cm thick).
Gatier 1994 suggest that this weight (117.4g) could be identical with the weight published by Seyrig 1946–48, p. 45, n° I.B.3 (same types, 114g) [confusion with the weight n° I.B.4 (118g)]. The weight I.B.3 is actually the one conserved in Copenhagen, Inv.No. ABa 57 (see e.a. Boeckh 1838 and Schillbach 1877, vs. Seyrig: unknown location)
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