Byzantine Museum Quality Balance Weight – Polyhedral Form with Preserved Concentric Decoration (No reserve price)

Small treasures bearing the traces of history

Museum Quality Byzantine Balance Weight – Polyhedral Form with Preserved Concentric Decoration

Description

Considered within the tradition of Byzantine balance weights, this distinctive metal-alloy object features a compact, multifaceted spheroidal body, flattened upper and lower faces, and an elaborate arrangement of concentric circular motifs.

Its surface is decorated with numerous raised central bosses enclosed by carefully defined circular rings, creating a striking geometric pattern across the faceted body. The larger concentric designs on the flattened faces reinforce the object's remarkable symmetry and sculptural character.

Balance weights played an essential role in Byzantine commercial life, particularly in the measurement of commodities and precious metals. The historical study of these instruments, known as metrology, offers valuable insights into the economic practices of the Byzantine world. The Latin term pondus, meaning weight, provides an additional historical reference to their practical function.

Spheroidal weights with flattened poles, discussed in the Hermitage's catalogue of Byzantine weights, offer important typological comparisons. Metal-alloy weights represented in the Metropolitan Museum of Art likewise illustrate the combination of practical function and decorative refinement in Byzantine metalwork.

Object Type: Polyhedral Balance Weight
Culture: Byzantine
Period: Byzantine Period
Date Range: ca. 10th–12th Century AD
Material: Metal Alloy
Technique: Casting, Faceting and Engraved Concentric Decoration
Form: Faceted, Approximately Spheroidal Body with Flattened Upper and Lower Faces
Decoration: Concentric Ring-and-Dot Motifs Distributed across the Faceted Surfaces
Function: Balance Weight Considered within the Context of Byzantine Trade and Metrology
Condition: Very Well-preserved Overall Form; Distinct Facets and Concentric Decoration, with Surface Wear and Patina

Dimensions
Height: 12.49 mm ±
Width: 15.24 mm ±
Depth: 14.55 mm ±
Weight: 14.53 g ±

Note

★ Please consult the measurements to appreciate the piece’s actual size. Photographic framing can make objects of different dimensions appear similar in size.

Buyers wishing to receive a printed Cultural and Iconographic Assessment Certificate may submit their request before shipment. Every shipment is dispatched with full insurance coverage. Differences in shipping charges for certain countries reflect the country-specific costs of this insured service. Warm, museum-inspired lighting was chosen to bring out the object’s surface texture, form, craftsmanship and historic character naturally. Suspension cords and other display accessories visible in the photographs complement the presentation and are not included in the sale.

Information

Surface details have been documented using high-resolution equipment. The object’s form and structural integrity have been preserved, with photographic adjustments limited to minor colour balancing.

Museum-standard technical photographs may be supplied to interested collectors during the auction. If requested before shipment, an expert assessment report and a signed ownership document prepared in the buyer’s name can be provided in PDF format within 3–5 business days.

When identifying an archaeological object, experienced museum specialists and archaeologists consider its known find context, material, form and symbols alongside museum examples and academic research; appropriate advanced laboratory examinations can provide additional scientific insight into specific questions concerning material, manufacture and dating.

The stated period, original function, symbolic meaning and material reflect academic assessments supported by typological comparisons and expert opinions. Advanced scientific analyses are separate examinations conducted beyond the scope of the sale.

Scholarly consistency, transparent communication and good faith guide every presentation; no object is knowingly offered as a copy or imitation.