Medieval - Viking Era Bronze "The Merchant's Sun Stone" —...

A fascinating polyhedral weight, remarkable for its extensive decoration of concentric ring-and-dot motifs covering the numerous facets of its body. The object has a compact, many-sided geometric form. Across the smaller facets appear repeated circular devices composed of a central point surrounded by one or more concentric rings, while the larger terminal faces carry a much more prominent target-like concentric design. Such ring-and-dot ornament is known across a broad range of ancient and medieval material culture. In a Viking-period context, these designs can evoke solar discs, watchful eyes, celestial cycles or protective symbols, although their precise meaning cannot be established with certainty. On a practical object associated with weighing and exchange, the repeated imagery gives the piece an especially intriguing character. Weights were essential to the Viking Age trading economy, particularly for measuring precious metals and hack-silver in transactions where value was determined by weight rather than by coin denomination. A carefully decorated weight could therefore have been both a functional merchant's instrument and a personal object carried through markets and trading networks. The contrasting dark surface and warm copper-bronze tones beautifully emphasize the engraved circles, while surviving wear and surface irregularities contribute to its archaeological character. Weight: 14.39g Object: Polyhedral trade weight Attribution: Medieval / Viking-period tradition Material: Bronze Decoration: Multiple concentric ring-and-dot motifs Interpretation: Merchant's weighing instrument; solar/eye symbolism is interpretative Condition: Preserved with age-related wear and surface patination; see photographs for the complete condition.

Estimate:£175.19

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