Circular green glass weight [SM (Verve) 17/5/2016]

Collection type: Object
Description: Circular green glass weight [SM (Verve) 17/5/2016]
Long description: Green glass weight, circular in shape with a central depression with traces of an inscription and raised edge on one surface. Traces of a stamped inscription are visible in the central depression. [SM (Verve) 17/5/2016]
Geographical reference: Egypt
Africa > Northern Africa > Egypt
Person: Field collector Henry Wallis; PRM source Harold Wallis; PRM source Charles Hercules Read; PRM source British Museum
Date
Date collected: By 1917
Acquisition information: Donated: 1917
Materials and processes: Material Glass, Material Pigment, Process Stamped, Process Inscribed
Dimensions: Diameter: max 21 mm
Object numbers: Accession number: 1917.41.6
Research and responses: There appear to be an inscription on one side of the weight. [MO Verve 31/08/2016]
The British Museum and Metropolitan Museum collections have several of these objects which are described as a glass "coin weight", used to test the weight of coins. Many of the coin weights have inscriptions in Arabic and were made in Egypt. However, the Metropolitan Museum website also notes that some weights were made in the Byzantine period period in Egypt and stamped in Greek. [SM (Verve) 26/9/2016]

Search