FORVM`s Classical Numismatics Discussion Board
Antiquities Discussion Forums => Weights and Scales => Topic started by: glebe on July 02, 2018, 03:05:57 am
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Here is a swag of interesting ancient weights from all periods:
https://www.sixbid.com/browse.html?auction=4202&category=110302&page=1
Some I've seen before (in Tekin probably), but many are new to me.
Ross G.
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Here is a swag of interesting ancient weights from all periods:
I also find these weights very intersting, especially lots: 1220-1221 !
Martin
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This was a very important collection of weights formed by Peter Fischer and should fit in the reference library of anybody interested in ancient weights. Of special note is lot 1303, a weight of Zemarchos, city prefect of Constantinople (which is named 'Rome' on the weight itself, omitting 'New'!) that once belonged to the collection of Athanasius Kircher (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athanasius_Kircher) - it's in Bendall's booklet on weights as well.
Regards
Gert
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Here is a swag of interesting ancient weights from all periods:
I also find these weights very intersting, especially lots: 1220-1221 !
Martin
Lot 1221 is a 100 sheckel weight from Arados (where Peuss gets "Drachme" from I don't follow).
It's listed in the auction as 1350 gm, but in the Qedar sale of 1983 the weight is given as 1325 gm (Elayi & Elayi, No. 285).
Ross G.
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I have never studied these weights before so not sure how much of an input i can offer.
The Phoenician numeric system on these weights is the same as that of the coins and easily deciphered, In a previous post the following weight Elayi & Elayi 292 (Qedar 1983 5071) is quite clearly a 100 shekel weight, but I am uncertain of the specific meaning of the letter X before 100 (note: numeric and alphabetic symbols are predominantly read from right to left) ?
In the same post, Elayi & Elayi 309 is also recognizable as a 50 sheckel weight.
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=113771.0
Dimensions.
Waddington 7459 = 40 sheckel weight - https://tinyurl.com/ydc4vmd8
Elayi & Elayi 309 = 455.7g, 7.7 x 7.12 cm.
Elayi & Elayi 292 = 914 g, 122 x 102 x 14 cm.
Lot: 1220 = 948 g, 8,4 x 10,7 cm.
Lot: 1221 = 1350 g, 9 x 11,6 cm.
In respect to lot 1221, there appears to be an additional numeric symbol to the left of 100. It´s difficult to make out what symbol this is but it could explain the weight & size given by the auction house and the Qedar sale of 1983 (1350 g / 1325 g). A closer study of the particular weight is required.
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Lot 1221 (see below) is interesting because we don’t see many Levantine weights on such a heavy weight scale (with a mina of c.650 gm) and mostly they are from the northern Levant (Syria) with Greek legends, whereas 1221 is from Phoenicia. Elayi & Elayi 286 is another example, weighing 1305 gm.
For more details see Finkielsztejn:
https://www.academia.edu/12593340/2014_The_Weight_Standards_of_the_Hellenistic_Levant_Part_One_-_The_Evidence_of_the_Syrian_Scale_Weights_INR_9
https://www.academia.edu/35065895/2015_The_Weight_Standards_of_the_Hellenistic_Levant_Part_Two_-_The_Evidence_of_the_Phoenician_Scale_Weights_INR_10.pdf
The Elayi & Elayi 292 weight from Marathos that you referred to is another 100 shekel example, but on the commoner 460 gm mina standard.
Ross G.
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According to Peus (i.e, Fischer presumably) Lot 1244 (below) is a "heavy Roman pound" of 1 pound 3 ounces, an idea that apparently comes from Schilbach.
Actually, at 437 gm it seems to be 1 pound 4 ounces, i.e, 4/3 x the Roman/Byzantine pound of 327 gm, rather than 5/4. The reading of the legend is uncertain, to say the least.
And the Attic trading mina was 459 gm, not 437 - the latter was originally the Euboic mina used for coinage.
Ross G.
(Revised)