Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Glass, Room 131

Weight

1036-1094 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Egypt (made)

People used coin weights such as this in Egypt under the Fatimid dynasty (969-1171). This example weighs 2.96 grammes and we think it was used to balance silver coinage weighing one dirham. It was produced in the reign of the caliph al-Mustansir (1036-1094). His personal and full regnal names appear between the titles Imam and Commander of the Faithful on the obverse. (This is the side of the coin that carries the main design.) The reverse of the coin is blank.


Object details

Categories
Islam
Africa
SCRAN
Object type
Weight
Materials and techniques
Stamped blue glass
Glass
Stamped
Brief description
Blue coin weight, from the reign of the Fatimid Caliph al-Mustansir (1036-1094). Equates to the weight of a dirham. Egypt (Cairo)
Physical description
Blue glass coin weight. Equates to the weight of a dirham.
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 2.3cm
  • Of die diameter: 1.6cm
  • Weight: 2.96g
Style
Fatimid
Marks and inscriptions
'al-!imaam ma?add !abuu / tamiim al-mustanSir bi-/llaah !amiir al-mu!miniin' (Arabic; Arabic; obverse; stamped)
Translation
'The Imam Ma'add Abu Tamim al-Mustansir bi-llah, Commander of the Faithful'
Production
The Fatimid caliph al-Mustansir (ruled 1036-1094) is named in the inscription.
Summary
People used coin weights such as this in Egypt under the Fatimid dynasty (969-1171). This example weighs 2.96 grammes and we think it was used to balance silver coinage weighing one dirham. It was produced in the reign of the caliph al-Mustansir (1036-1094). His personal and full regnal names appear between the titles Imam and Commander of the Faithful on the obverse. (This is the side of the coin that carries the main design.) The reverse of the coin is blank.
Bibliographic references
  • Balog, Paul, "Fatimid glass jetons: token currency or coin weights?", Annali, Istituto Italiano di Numismatica, 17-19 (1971-2): 175-264
  • Balog, Paul, "Fatimid glass jetons: token currency or coin weights?", Annali, Istituto Italiano di Numismatica, 20 (1973): 121-212
  • Contadini, Anna, Fatimid Art at the Victoria & Albert Museum. London: V&A Publications, 1998. p.108, plate 48d
Collection
Ceramics Collection
Accession number
360:22-1900

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Record createdFebruary 6, 2003
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O74022/weight-unknown/
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