Ancient Near East, Late Babylonian, ca. 800 BCE. A smooth, soft red stone weight in the form of a seated duck with a long neck turned and folded over its back. Size: 2" L x 1.1" W x 1" H (5.1 cm x 2.8 cm x 2.5 cm)

Duck weights were used to check the accuracy of payment when exchanging valuables - land, agricultural goods, paying taxes, etc. Weights like this one would be placed on pan scales alongside commodities. Duck weights correspond to local standardized units, known as talents and mina. They were made to be both functional and aesthetically appealing, suggesting that the people who used them valued beauty in everyday objects.

Provenance: Ex-Private Orange, County CA collection acquired between 1990 and 1995

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#119960

Smoothed with age and with some small surface chipping as shown.