Antiquities Discussion Forums > Weights and Scales

The mother of all weights?

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SC:
This is a Roman granite (stone) market barrel weight.

It is 11.6 lbs (modern) or 5.3 kg.  (I can't get any more accurate with the household scale.)

It is 12 cm tall, 15 cm in diameter.  The flat top part is 11 cm diameter.

In the first (top-view) picture you can see the remains of the lead plug that I assume once secured a metal hook in place.

In the second (side-view) picture you can see the barrel shape.

In the third (oblique view) picture you can see an old crack down the side with a short rectangular grove cut in it  that I assume once contained a lead repair plug - these are well known from repair of large terra sigillata vessels.  I place a sestertius of Marcus Aurelius on top of it in order to get an easy impression of its size.

SC

Justin W:
This is a very cool weight, if I saw it I would just assume it’s a rock   ;D  Congratulations for getting the king of all ancient weights.




Best Regards,
Justin

wileyc:
looks like granite rock?how deep does that hole go in the top?

Nice weight!

CW

SC:
The hole is about 2 cm deep but there is lead under that so it might have been deeper.

SC

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