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Weights and Scales

Weights are among the more common objects of the ancient and medieval world. Weights and a balance were essential for measuring quantities of many commodities and for evaluating coins. Probably the most common class of weights are those for evaluating coins. Balance weights were made of metal (most often bronze or lead), glass, or stone. If the mass of any small solid object conforms to an appropriate weight unit, it is likely to be a balance weight. Many excavated weights have been wrongly identified as game pieces or tokens.

Judah, Bronze Dome Weight (13.649g), c. 800 - 586 B.C.

|Weights| |&| |Scales|, |Judah,| |Bronze| |Dome| |Weight| |(13.649g),| |c.| |800| |-| |586| |B.C.|
 AS111503. Judah, bronze dome weight, cf. Hendin Weights 222 (12.24g, 1 shekel), Hecht A -, Kletter 1998 -, Tushingham -, Choice, 13.649g, 15.2mm diameter, pre-exile, c. 800 - 586 B.C.; spherical bronze weight with a flat bottom, unmarked; ex Archaeological Center (Robert Deutsch, Tel Aviv, Israel, 2012); $300.00 (€303.00)
 


Judah, Bronze Dome Weight, 1 Shekel (10.571g), c. 800 - 586 B.C.

|Weights| |&| |Scales|, |Judah,| |Bronze| |Dome| |Weight,| |1| |Shekel| |(10.571g),| |c.| |800| |-| |586| |B.C.|
 AS111504. Judah, bronze dome weight; cf. Hendin Weights 225 (10.05g), Hecht A -, Kletter 1998 -, Tushingham -, Choice, earthen encrustations, 10.571g, 14.6mm diameter, 11.0mm high, pre-exile, c. 800 - 586 B.C.; spherical leaded bronze weight with a flat bottom, unmarked; ex Archaeological Center (Robert Deutsch, Tel Aviv, Israel, 2012); $220.00 (€222.20)
 


Judah, Haematite Dome Weight (6.402g), c. 800 - 586 B.C.

|Weights| |&| |Scales|, |Judah,| |Haematite| |Dome| |Weight| |(6.402g),| |c.| |800| |-| |586| |B.C.|
Haematite is a black iron ore that is often red from oxidized iron on the surface.AS111505. Judah, Haematite dome weight, Tushingham 7 (very similar, 6.51g); Hendin Weights 106 (polished, 7.71g), Hecht A -, Kletter 1998 -, Choice, 6.402g, 18.3mm diameter, 14.3mm high, pre-exile, c. 800 - 586 B.C.; rough unfinished surface, red oxidized surface; very rare; $200.00 (€202.00)
 


Judah, Limestone Dome Weight, 4 Shekels (39.751g), c. 800 - 586 B.C.

|Weights| |&| |Scales|, |Judah,| |Limestone| |Dome| |Weight,| |4| |Shekels| |(39.751g),| |c.| |800| |-| |586| |B.C.|
This is a pre-exile limestone weight from Judah. Lead weights apparently were not used in Jerusalem. Ronny Reich in "Stone Scale Weights of the Late Second Temple Period from the Jewish Quarter," concludes that the Jerusalemites used limestone weights instead of lead for reasons of purity, since in Judaism, according to later rabbinical sources, stone does not acquire impurity.AS111509. Judah, limestone dome weight; cf. Tushingham fig. 78, 27 (42.22g, pink and gray limestone); Hendin Weights 198 (43.82g, grey limestone), Choice, 39.751g, 27.3mm diameter, underweight, pre-exile, 800 - 586 B.C.; carved creamy white limestone, high dome, flat bottom, unmarked; $500.00 (€505.00)
 


Judah, Limestone Dome Weight, 8 Shekels (90.151g), c. 800 - 586 B.C.

|Weights| |&| |Scales|, |Judah,| |Limestone| |Dome| |Weight,| |8| |Shekels| |(90.151g),| |c.| |800| |-| |586| |B.C.|
 AS111511. Judah, limestone dome 8 shekels weight; cf. Tushingham fig. 79, 6 (91.87g); Hecht A 22 (92.90g), Hendin Weights 191 (91.0g, pink limestone), Choice, 90.151g, 42.4mm diameter, 33.5mm high, pre-exile, 800 - 586 B.C.; creamy white limestone, inscribed (8 shekels) in hieratic on top; ex Shick Coins (Max Shick, Israel, 2013); rare; $2600.00 (€2626.00)
 


Phoenician, Bronze Trapezoid Cube Weight (Het - 8.644g), c. 7th - 4th Century B.C.

|Weights| |&| |Scales|, |Phoenician,| |Bronze| |Trapezoid| |Cube| |Weight| |(Het| |-| |8.644g),| |c.| |7th| |-| |4th| |Century| |B.C.|
This weight is the usual shape for the type, an inverted truncated pyramid - a cube with the bottom slightly smaller than the top. The type dates from perhaps as early as the the 9th century B.C. to the end of the Persian period. They were undoubtedly used to weigh silver bullion for transactions. They are a common find at Ashkelon in 7th century B.C. contexts, but not often available for sale.AS111483. Phoenician, bronze cube weight, cf. Kletter 2000 p. 32, 15 - 16 (8.33 - 8.86g), Hendin Weights 248 - 251 (16.81 - 17.77g), Hecht A 53 (3.5g), Choice, 8.644g, 10.0x11.3x10.1mm, c. 7th - 4th Century B.C.; inverted truncated pyramid, incised (Phoenician het) on top, ex Shick Coins (Max Shick, Israel, 2012); $400.00 (€404.00)
 


Phoenician, Bronze Trapezoid Cube Weight (Samekh - 22.768g), c. 7th - 4th Century B.C.

|Weights| |&| |Scales|, |Phoenician,| |Bronze| |Trapezoid| |Cube| |Weight| |(Samekh| |-| |22.768g),| |c.| |7th| |-| |4th| |Century| |B.C.|
This weight is the usual shape for the type, an inverted truncated pyramid - a cube with the bottom slightly smaller than the top. The type dates from perhaps as early as the the 9th century B.C. to the end of the Persian period. They were undoubtedly used to weigh silver bullion for transactions. They are a common find at Ashkelon in 7th century B.C. contexts, but curiously not often available for sale.AS111484. Phoenician, bronze cube weight, cf. Hendin Weights 242 (24.46g), Hecht A 49 - 52 (5.59 - 11.09g), Kletter 2000 8 - 10 (4.79g - 5.92g), Collectible, minor pitting, 22.768g (3 shekels?), 15.7x17.2x13.4mm, c. 7th - 4th Century B.C.; inverted truncated pyramid, incised (Phoenician samekh) on top, ex Shick Coins (Max Shick, Israel, 2012); $400.00 (€404.00)
 


Phoenician, Bronze Trapezoid Cube Weight (Het - 8.959g), c. 7th - 4th Century B.C.

|Weights| |&| |Scales|, |Phoenician,| |Bronze| |Trapezoid| |Cube| |Weight| |(Het| |-| |8.959g),| |c.| |7th| |-| |4th| |Century| |B.C.|
If the markings on these weights indicate a value, we don't understand. Based on the weight of 8.959g, one might assume this is one shekel weight. Hendin lists four weights with the Phoenician het and all are about twice this weight and all are identified as 2 shekels weights. Kletter lists weights marked with the Phoenician het ranging from 0.95g to 16g.AS111485. Phoenician, bronze trapezoid cube weight; Kletter 2000 16 (8.86g), Hendin Weights 248 - 251 (16.81 - 17.77g), Hecht A 53 (3.50g), Choice, earthen encrustations, 8.959g, 11.9x12.6x9.2mm, c. 7th - 4th Century B.C.; inverted truncated pyramid, incised (Phoenician het) on top, ex Shick Coins (Max Shick, Israel, 2012); $400.00 (€404.00)
 


Phoenician, Bronze Trapezoid Cube Weight (Ayin - 21.595g), c. 7th - 4th Century B.C.

|Weights| |&| |Scales|, |Phoenician,| |Bronze| |Trapezoid| |Cube| |Weight| |(Ayin| |-| |21.595g),| |c.| |7th| |-| |4th| |Century| |B.C.|
This weight is the usual shape for the type, an inverted truncated pyramid - a cube with the bottom slightly smaller than the top. The type dates from perhaps as early as the the 9th century B.C. to the end of the Persian period. They were undoubtedly used to weigh silver bullion for transactions. Kletter lists nine weights with circle marks, ranging from 2.55g to 80.67g. Some, like ours, were incised with straight lines or punches. Most were found at Akko.AS111486. Phoenician, bronze trapezoid cube weight; cf. Hendin Weights 245 (21.63), Kletter 25 (21.17g), Hecht A 47 (20.03g), Choice, 21.595g (3 shekels?), 14.3x16.6x12.9mm, c. 7th - 4th Century B.C.; inverted truncated pyramid (a cube with the bottom slightly smaller than the top), incised circle (Phoenician ayin) on top created with a 8 short straight line cuts, ex Shick Coins (Max Shick, Israel, 2012); $800.00 (€808.00)
 


Canaanite, Carved Hematite Sphendonoid Weight, 2 Shekels (15.393g), Late Bronze Age II, 14th - 13th Century B.C.

|Weights| |&| |Scales|, |Canaanite,| |Carved| |Hematite| |Sphendonoid| |Weight,| |2| |Shekels| |(15.393g),| |Late| |Bronze| |Age| |II,| |14th| |-| |13th| |Century| |B.C.|
Sphendonoid weights are found in excavations from Egypt to Mesopotamia, dating from the Early Bronze Age to as late as the Iron Age. The style originated in Syria or Babylonia, but they are found corresponding to various weight systems including Babylonian, Phoenician, Syrian and Egyptian. This weight was presumably more precisely attributed and dated by the Archaeological Center with the benefit of find information.AS111499. cf. Hendin Weights 18, sphendonoid 2 shekel weight carved from hematite, polished, long thin ellipsoid, Choice, 15.393g, 63.3mm long, 9.9mm diameter, Late Bronze Age II, 14th - 13th Century B.C.; ex Collector Antiquities (Dr. Bron Lipkin, London, UK, 2012); $300.00 (€303.00)
 



  






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