x + 210 pp, color figures, hb, in English. Limited edition, printed only 300 copies.
Historically, balance weights are as old as the balances themselves. Actually, balance and weight examples of Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Hittite civilisations are known from wall paintings, reliefs, papyri and collections. However, the scope of this book is the balance weights produced and used in the Aegean world during the Classical and Hellenistic periods. Balance weights were among the instruments of public sphere (instrumenta publica) of antiquity and they constitute an important group of antiquities worth studying for their unit marks, symbols, depictions, inscriptions and ornaments. However, balance weights have been among the most neglected artefacts within archaeological research. Certainly, this work at handbook level should not be expected to fill the gap entirely, but rather call attention to this field. The examples were chosen from the city-states in the Aegean world and cover only those which bear ethnic or symbol (parasemon).
CONTENTS
FOREWORD
INTRODUCTION
1. AN OVERVIEW OF WEIGHTS
2. WEIGHT SYSTEMS, STANDARDS AND SOLON’S REFORM
3. MARKET PLACES AND MARKET CONTROLLERS
4. CITIES AND THEIR WEIGHTS 35
GENERAL EVALUATION
APPENDICES
ABBREVIATIONS AND BIBLIOGRAPHY
IMAGE SOURCES
TECHNICAL ABBREVIATIONS
GLOSSARY
PLATES
