pre-monetary bronce?

[antvwala]

I bought this very particular bronze, with an intact patina, at the end of the 70s in Barcelona, from the well-known merchant Calico. The vendor described it as a pre-monetary form. It comes from Catalunya and should be from the 5th century BC. It measures 24mm in height and weighs 8.88g.
The denomination "pre-monetary object" is very vague and debatable.
What could it really be? A pre-monetary form or a decoration?
Thank you.

[djmacdo]

A small bronze ingot of indeterminate form.

[antvwala]

In reality the shape is well defined: the head of a sheep (pecus) and this is consistent with a pre-monetary use (pre-pecunia)

[antvwala]

Also these bronze objects, of very different weights and dimensions, as well as an infinite number of rings of every shape, are given on ACSearch as pre-monetary objects, with the denomination of "aes formatum". But are they really it?
Many years ago, these objects were discussed in the Italian section of the FAC and I was inclined not to consider them pre-monetary objects. However I see that in many emblazoned auction lists they are offered as such and I doubt that they really can be...

[Joe Sermarini]

The first three objects in the top row... I have had consignors send similar to me, but I have never found any in references I hold, so I rejected them. They may have been used in trade, but I need references. I don't know what they are.

Lead and bronze acorns and lead shells, were definitely used as balance weights.

One consignor has sent me a large number of bronze shells. They were reputedly found long ago in a hoard of bronze alongside Aes rude, Aes formatum, ax heads, etc. I believe all bronze was useable as money for at least a few centuries, from the 5th to the 3rd century B.C., from Spain to Croatia.  It was not quite money, however, because it had to be weighed to determine the value.

[antvwala]

Thank you.
The point is precisely that: in antiquity, any metal object could be used by weight with the function of money, without being defined as "coin" for this reason.

As for what I have proposed, with the shape of a sheep, according to the Spanish archaeologists it is a "tésera de hospitalidad" and they always came in pairs with a legend on the reverse (which has been lost in my copy).
About the "Tésera de hospitalidad" I read:
"The appearance of various téseras de hospitalidad prerromanas de tipo celtibérico within the territory from which the Cántabros were listened to has testified that the use of this type of documents was extended to the most septentrionales and periféricos sectors of the Meseta Norte, and that communities and personajes of Cantabria mantuvieron during los siglos ii–i b.C. estrechos lassos de hospitium
with lejanas ciudades oridios de la Celtiberia. These hospital treatises are one of the most significant elements of the celtiberization of the cantabros in the final phases of the Edad del Hierro. El último de los ejemplares known comes from the territory of the camáricos, populus cántabro who occupied the sector of the Montaña Palentina between Guardo and Cervera de Pisuerga". (from Eduardo José Peralta Labrador, La Tésera de Hospitalidad Prerromana de El Otero y los Cántabros Camáricos, Lıburna 13 [Noviembre 2018], 93-143, ISSN: 1889-1128).
But is my copy really a "hospitality card"?

[SC]

We have discussed those top three items before in the Bronze Items section.

They are fittings for bronze vessels, forms of feet, rests, rim holders, etc. and are documented in the archaeological issue.  Found in Roman 2nd-3rd century contexts.

Nothing to do with photo money.

SC

[Joe Sermarini]

Thanks Shawn. Next time someone sends one I will look for those posts.

[antvwala]

I had confirmation from a qualified Spanish archaeologist that the posted bronze is definitely a "tésera de hospitalidad".