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As with all items in this collection, this artifact is certified authentic and will be accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity and Provenance, detailing typology, dating, region, and collection history.
Roman Judaea Lead Trade Weight Conical Market Weight 76g Authentic
Certificate of Authenticity and Provenance
This ancient lead trade weight dates to the Roman provincial period and is accompanied by a lifetime authenticity guarantee. The piece originates from an old European antiquities collection and represents a commercial weight used in market transactions in the eastern Roman provinces.
Item Details
Object: Commercial trade weight
Culture: Roman Provincial Judaea
Date: circa 1st–4th century AD
Material: Lead
Weight: 75.99 g
Description
This conical lead object represents a Roman provincial trade weight used in commercial activity in the eastern Mediterranean. Weights of this type were employed by merchants and traders operating within the market systems of Roman Judaea and neighboring regions.
During the Roman period, standardized systems of weights allowed merchants to measure valuable goods such as metals, spices, dyes, medicines, and luxury commodities. Portable balance scales used with sets of bronze or lead weights formed an essential part of everyday trade.
Conical and rounded lead weights are known from archaeological contexts associated with Roman market areas and trading settlements throughout the Levant. Their compact shape made them durable and practical for repeated commercial use.
These artifacts reflect the vibrant commercial life of Roman provincial markets and the integration of the region into wider Mediterranean trade networks.
Comparable Examples
Israel Museum
Roman provincial lead trade weight
Accession number: IMJ 76.22.151
British Museum
Roman Levantine trade weight
Museum number: BM 1867,0101.441
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Roman commercial weight
Accession number: 74.51.561
Condition
Ancient lead trade weight with stable surface patina and wear consistent with age and burial. Intact conical form typical of Roman provincial market weights.
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