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Lot Essay
During the Byzantine Empire, steelyard weights were used in the marketplace in order to create a standardization for weighing everyday commodities. The scale had three increments -- 13 lbs., 34 lbs. and 85 lbs. The commodity would be hung from a chain at one end of the steelyard pole and a weight would be positioned along the shaft and adjusted to determine the correct weight. For an example of a weight, a steelyard and a collar with chain, see no. 10 in I. Kalvrezou, Byzantine Women and Their World.
As D. Angelova informs (pp. 52-54 in Kalvrezou, op. cit.), the majority of weights preserved from this period depicted an empress bust, which "has been interpreted as an imperial guarantee of the fairness of commercial transactions." Here the empress is making the gesture of speech, which denotes leadership and holy status. This gesture is typically reserved for learned individuals, Christ, religious figures and members of the imperial family. For a similar example see no. 11, op. cit.
As D. Angelova informs (pp. 52-54 in Kalvrezou, op. cit.), the majority of weights preserved from this period depicted an empress bust, which "has been interpreted as an imperial guarantee of the fairness of commercial transactions." Here the empress is making the gesture of speech, which denotes leadership and holy status. This gesture is typically reserved for learned individuals, Christ, religious figures and members of the imperial family. For a similar example see no. 11, op. cit.