Description

The Corpus Ponderum Antiquorum et Islamicorum (=CPAI) Project aims at publishing the weights in Turkish museums and private collections. The first volume covers 161 weights from a private collection now housed at the Silifke Museum and is organised under three headings as Hellenistic and Roman Imperial period (49 ea.), Byzantine (33 ea.) and Islamic (79 ea.). Most of the examples from the Hellenistic and Roman Imperial periods are square or rectangular plain lead weights. The cutting board shaped lead weight of Roman Imperial period is a very interesting example with its unit inscribed as litra and a caduceus depiction on it. Byzantine weights in the collection vary from two-uncia to one-nomisma. Most of the Islamic weights are the dirhams from the Ottoman period but there are also a few dirhams from the pre-Ottoman period. Islamic weights are mostly decorated with bird's eye motif.