DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.619#0095
86
NAUKRATIS.
to be connected with a coin standard. For we
must remember the gold standard of Assyria, the
128-grain shekel, is also the commercial and
general weight, and that the silver standard of two-
thirds of this is merely a unit formed for monetary
convenience. The multiples of this 80-grain
standard give us the clue to its origin ; they are
characteristically binary, or binary-decimal, 2, 4,
20, 40, 80. And these weights of 4£> and 80
would have all been classed as Assyrian shekel
multiples of 25 and 50 shekels, if such decimal
multiples of the shekel were admissible. That
they are not such is shown by the instances 10,
25, 50, and 100, of this 80-grain standard,
which cannot be 64;, 156j, 312^-, and 325 shekels,
and yet which are too concordant with the 40
and 80 multiples to be separated from them.
The only likely conclusion, then, seems to be that
this standard is the Assyrian 5 or 10 shekel weight
binarily divided, and used as an independent
unit; and since it is not known elsewhere, this
would seem to have been a modification peculiar
to Naukratis, which is also shown by the large
size of the weights, indicating that they belonged
to domestic dealings, and not to trade in articles
of value. Another sign that this standard belongs
to Naukratis, and had not come in from a wider
field of use, is in the compactness of its curve;
no large range of time and distribution had given
opportunities for permanent diversities of standard
to arise. The best test of this theory of its deri-
vation must be by comparing its curve with the
Assyrian: the range of 77-£ to 81-| grains cor-
responds to a shekel range of 124-0 to 130-4,
which coincides closely to the Assyrian range ;
and perhaps we may even see a closer relation-
ship in the peculiar decrease in the number of
examples in each curve, just where the number
should be greatest; this dip occurs at 79§ in the
one curve, corresponding to 127'2 in the other,
or within T3-g- grain of the existing dip. The
coincidence of the curves is unequivocal in its
testimony to the origin of this 80-grain unit, by
binary division of 10 Assyrian shekels.
100. There now remains one class of weights,
the Attic tetradrachm coins. These are so well
known, and so often weighed, that a few examples
would not be worth notice; but the large find at
Naukratis, all of one style, and the method used
to find the original weight of each coin, have
supplied us with some accurate results. The
coins were all cleaned by the process already
described, and only a few are omitted in the fol-
lowing list, which were found to have some lime
still in them after weighing. The following list
therefore gives the original weight, when buried,
of a uniform set of tetradrachm s in fine con-
dition :—
232-7
2635
263-9
264-2
264-7
2650
262-3
"5
•9
•3
•7
0
•4
•6
•9
•3
•8
•2
■6
•6
264 0
•3
•8
•2
•7
•7
•0
•4
•9
•2
•7
•7
•0
•4
•9
•3
•9
•8
•0
•6
•9
•4
263-2
•8
■1
•6
•9
•6
•4
•8
•1
•6
•9
•8
•4
•9
•2
•7
The following were a small find of later date :—
264-8 265-5 265-7 265-9
And some earlier ones are 258-9, 261-3, 261-9,
262-1; but these, except 261*3, are slightly worn.
With these was found one of the later type of
the preceding lot, which—like them—was heavier,
being 265.3; and in the preceding lot was one
early one, which was lighter, like the other early
ones, being less than 263-7. The very light one
at the beginning of the large find is evidently
fraudulent; it has no signs of having lost any-
thing appreciable by wear.
The general results then are, as compared with
their published weighings,—
Earliest, with Gorgon's head (Mommsen) 261-=4 X 65'2
Nankratian,earliest, stiff and woodenstyle 261- 65*2
„ stiff, but expressive . . 264-2 66'0
„ fine head, but archaistic owl 265-5 66-4
Usual bulk of the coinage (Mommsen) . 266-6 66-6
On comparing these results with the curve of the
Attic standard, it will be seen that they cover the
lower half of the curve, but do not reach the
NAUKRATIS.
to be connected with a coin standard. For we
must remember the gold standard of Assyria, the
128-grain shekel, is also the commercial and
general weight, and that the silver standard of two-
thirds of this is merely a unit formed for monetary
convenience. The multiples of this 80-grain
standard give us the clue to its origin ; they are
characteristically binary, or binary-decimal, 2, 4,
20, 40, 80. And these weights of 4£> and 80
would have all been classed as Assyrian shekel
multiples of 25 and 50 shekels, if such decimal
multiples of the shekel were admissible. That
they are not such is shown by the instances 10,
25, 50, and 100, of this 80-grain standard,
which cannot be 64;, 156j, 312^-, and 325 shekels,
and yet which are too concordant with the 40
and 80 multiples to be separated from them.
The only likely conclusion, then, seems to be that
this standard is the Assyrian 5 or 10 shekel weight
binarily divided, and used as an independent
unit; and since it is not known elsewhere, this
would seem to have been a modification peculiar
to Naukratis, which is also shown by the large
size of the weights, indicating that they belonged
to domestic dealings, and not to trade in articles
of value. Another sign that this standard belongs
to Naukratis, and had not come in from a wider
field of use, is in the compactness of its curve;
no large range of time and distribution had given
opportunities for permanent diversities of standard
to arise. The best test of this theory of its deri-
vation must be by comparing its curve with the
Assyrian: the range of 77-£ to 81-| grains cor-
responds to a shekel range of 124-0 to 130-4,
which coincides closely to the Assyrian range ;
and perhaps we may even see a closer relation-
ship in the peculiar decrease in the number of
examples in each curve, just where the number
should be greatest; this dip occurs at 79§ in the
one curve, corresponding to 127'2 in the other,
or within T3-g- grain of the existing dip. The
coincidence of the curves is unequivocal in its
testimony to the origin of this 80-grain unit, by
binary division of 10 Assyrian shekels.
100. There now remains one class of weights,
the Attic tetradrachm coins. These are so well
known, and so often weighed, that a few examples
would not be worth notice; but the large find at
Naukratis, all of one style, and the method used
to find the original weight of each coin, have
supplied us with some accurate results. The
coins were all cleaned by the process already
described, and only a few are omitted in the fol-
lowing list, which were found to have some lime
still in them after weighing. The following list
therefore gives the original weight, when buried,
of a uniform set of tetradrachm s in fine con-
dition :—
232-7
2635
263-9
264-2
264-7
2650
262-3
"5
•9
•3
•7
0
•4
•6
•9
•3
•8
•2
■6
•6
264 0
•3
•8
•2
•7
•7
•0
•4
•9
•2
•7
•7
•0
•4
•9
•3
•9
•8
•0
•6
•9
•4
263-2
•8
■1
•6
•9
•6
•4
•8
•1
•6
•9
•8
•4
•9
•2
•7
The following were a small find of later date :—
264-8 265-5 265-7 265-9
And some earlier ones are 258-9, 261-3, 261-9,
262-1; but these, except 261*3, are slightly worn.
With these was found one of the later type of
the preceding lot, which—like them—was heavier,
being 265.3; and in the preceding lot was one
early one, which was lighter, like the other early
ones, being less than 263-7. The very light one
at the beginning of the large find is evidently
fraudulent; it has no signs of having lost any-
thing appreciable by wear.
The general results then are, as compared with
their published weighings,—
Earliest, with Gorgon's head (Mommsen) 261-=4 X 65'2
Nankratian,earliest, stiff and woodenstyle 261- 65*2
„ stiff, but expressive . . 264-2 66'0
„ fine head, but archaistic owl 265-5 66-4
Usual bulk of the coinage (Mommsen) . 266-6 66-6
On comparing these results with the curve of the
Attic standard, it will be seen that they cover the
lower half of the curve, but do not reach the