Athens

1/3 Stater

Copper alloy (bronze or brass)

Cast

Square

5.24 cm (2.0625 inch)

5.24 cm (2.0625 inch)

- cm

Mass (g)	Mass (grain)	Date of measurement	Reference	fragmented	cleaned	reference weight
277.01	4274.9006	-	www.getty.edu	No	No	Yes

Symbol	Technique	Direction	Position	Number	Synecdoche
Amphora	Relief	UP
Owl	Stamped / Countermarked / Struck	UP

In antiquity, the Athenian government kept sets of official weights used to calibrate and verify the accuracy of other weights used in the city. These official weights were made of bronze rather than the usual, more easily alterable lead used for other weights. They also carried an inscription indicating that they belonged to the Demosion or public. This thick, square plaque is an Athenian official weight dating to the period from about 450 to 400 B.C. The symbol of an amphora in high relief and the inscription on the front indicate its value. The letters are an abbreviation for tritemorion, or one-third of a stater, a basic unit of weight at this time. The dotted inscription on the side of the weight is the abbreviation for Demosion. The stamped image of an owl, the symbol of Athens, on the front and side of the plaque are countermarks, indicating that the weight was periodically inspected. The back of the plaque is plain except for a rectangular cutting filled with lead to adjust the weight.

No

Language	Technique	Legend type
Greek	Incised	Denomination, Legal status

Τρι(τημόριον)
Δε(μόσιον)

GREEK

FROM -450 TO -400

Second half of 5th century B.C.

Name	Date of acquisition	Inventory number
Fleischman Collection	Jan. 1, 1988	F121
Getty Museum – Getty Villa (Malibu)	Jan. 1, 1996	96.AC.83

Reference	Page/Column	Reference (number)	Plate / Figure	Comment
Neils 1992	51, 191	70		(non vidi)
True and Hamma 1994	70	25
Bodel and Tracy 1997	7			(non vidi)
Getty Museum 1997–98	64

http://www.getty.edu/art/collection/objects/29669/unknown-maker-weight-with-amphora-greek-attic-second-half-of-5th-century-bc/