Coin Weight
Unknown Artist
10th–11th century
Medium
Glass
Dimensions
H. 1 /4 in. (0.6 cm) Diam. 1 in. (2.5 cm) Wt. 0.2 oz. (5.7 g)
Classification
Glass
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1908
Accession Number
08.256.12
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate glass coin weight, dating to the 10th–11th century, hails from the vibrant world of Islamic trade and commerce. Crafted in the Islamic Art tradition, it measures just 1 inch in diameter and weighs a mere 0.2 ounces, designed precisely to verify the weight of gold dinars or silver dirhams. In an era when markets stretched from Spain to Central Asia, such tools ensured fair exchange, preventing fraud in transactions of spices, silks, and precious metals. Glass was a prized medium in Islamic craftsmanship, valued for its transparency and moldability. Artisans likely used sophistica...