ARCHAEOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE WEIGHT
Authority
Mint
Denomination
1 Libra = 1 Litra
Material
Copper alloy (bronze or brass)
Manufacture
Cast
Shape
Truncated sphere or similar (truncated spheroid, truncated double cone, etc.)
Length
4.13 cm
Width
4.13 cm
Height
3.49 cm
Metrology
| Mass (g) | Mass (grain) | Date of measurement | Reference | fragmented | cleaned | reference weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 327.32 | - | - | RIB II | No | No | Yes |
Iconography
| Symbol | Technique | Direction | Position | Number | Synecdoche |
|---|
Wear
Corrosion
Handle
No
Suspension hole
No
Recarved mould
No
Recarved weight
No
Intentionally destroyed
No
Archaeological description
Bendeguz Tobias: Commercial weight. Truncated sphere. Iconography: No cross. No wreath.
RIB II: Support: Type of object: Cheese-shaped weight. Material: Bronze. Dimensions: maximum diameter 41.3 mm, diameter at top and bottom 22.2 mm, height 34.9 mm, weight 327.32 gm. Decoration and iconography: Turned after casting, with lathe-hole at top and bottom. A lead core was inserted through an aperture on the reverse, which was then plugged with a bronze disc. Site: Blyborough. Find context: Found on the site of a Roman villa at Blyborough near Willoughton. Find date: In or before 1932. Modern location: Now in private possession. Institution: (private possession). Text field: Placement of text: Inscribed on obverse. Style of lettering: In capitals. Letter heights: (not specified).
RIB II: Support: Type of object: Cheese-shaped weight. Material: Bronze. Dimensions: maximum diameter 41.3 mm, diameter at top and bottom 22.2 mm, height 34.9 mm, weight 327.32 gm. Decoration and iconography: Turned after casting, with lathe-hole at top and bottom. A lead core was inserted through an aperture on the reverse, which was then plugged with a bronze disc. Site: Blyborough. Find context: Found on the site of a Roman villa at Blyborough near Willoughton. Find date: In or before 1932. Modern location: Now in private possession. Institution: (private possession). Text field: Placement of text: Inscribed on obverse. Style of lettering: In capitals. Letter heights: (not specified).
Autopsy
No
INSCRIPTION
| Language | Technique | Legend type |
|---|---|---|
| Greek | Incised | Denomination |
Fac simile
𐅢Α
Edition
Λί(τρα) α´.
Monogram
ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONTEXT
Findspot (region)
United Kingdom: England
Findspot (site)
Blyborough
context
RIB II: Found on the site of a Roman villa at Blyborough near Willoughton.
CIRCUMSTANCES OF ACQUISITION
Region
City
Date of first acquisition
circumstances
DATING OF THE WEIGHT
Curatorial Section
ROMAN
Time frame
FROM
43
TO
300
Comments on Chronology
COLLECTION HISTORY
Collection
| Name | Date of acquisition | Inventory number |
|---|---|---|
| Unidentified Private Collections | None |
Bibliography
| Reference | Page/Column | Reference (number) | Plate / Figure | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collingwood 1926 | 227 | 18 | None | None |
| Armstrong 1933a | 57–58 | None | ||
| RIB II | None | 2412.100 | None | None |
VARIA
Additional comment
RIB II: The object is 0.13 gm underweight (0.04%) [1.82 gm overweight, 0.56%]. The Greek indication of weight suggests that it is an ancient import, and the accuracy of the weight is noteworthy.
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