Coin Weight
Unknown Artist
probably 13th–14th century
Medium
Glass
Dimensions
H. 1/8 in. (0.3 cm) Diam. 13/16 in. (2.1 cm) Wt. 0.08 oz. (2.27 g)
Classification
Glass
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Museum Accession
Accession Number
x.165.4
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate glass coin weight, dating to the 13th–14th century, hails from the Islamic world and exemplifies the precision craftsmanship of medieval artisans. Measuring just 13/16 inches in diameter and weighing a mere 0.08 ounces, it was designed for a practical purpose: verifying the weight of gold or silver coins in bustling trade markets. Part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Islamic Art collection, it reflects the era's emphasis on standardized weights and measures, for fair commerce across the expansive Islamic empires, from the Abbasids to the MamluksGlass was a favored medium for ...