id
	11812
Url
	https://chloe.cnr.it/s/BiDiAr/item/11812
Resource template
	Academic Article
Resource class
	bibo:AcademicArticle
Title
	Breaking down the bullion. The compliance of bullion-currencies with official weight-systems in a case-study from the ancient Near East
Creator
	Ialongo, Nicola
	Vacca, Agnese
	Peyronel, Luca
Date
	2018
Language
	eng
Abstract
	In this paper we provide an analytical insight on a specific form of bullion-currency. Through the comparison of the statistical properties of different samples of hacksilver and balance weights from various contexts of the Near Eastern Bronze Age, the study attempts to assess whether the weight values of bullion-currencies can be expected to comply with existing weight-standards. The results of the statistical analyses on a silver hoard from Ebla (Syria) strongly suggest that hacksilver in the Bronze Age Near East was shaped and/or fragmented in order to comply with the weight-systems that were in use in the trade networks where it circulated. The results also show the possibility to quantify the level of affinity between different weight-systems. The study is intended to provide a starting point for future research, aimed at the identification of different forms of bullion-currencies in pre- and protohistoric economies.
Is Part Of
	Journal of Archaeological Science
Cited by
	11060
Doi
	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2018.01.002
Issn
	0305-4403
Pages
	20-32
Uri
	https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305440318300025
Volume
	91
Homepage
	https://www.zotero.org/groups/5293298/bidiar/items/EHRIUII8/item-list

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