Large Duck Weight
Stone
Bismaya (Adab)
18 cm x 11 cm x 9.5 cm
A263
Oriental Institute Museum
Large Duck Weight
The ancient Mesopotamians used sets of standard weights when transacting business. Regardless of size, most weights were made of stone, and were placed on balance scales opposite the object or substance being weighed. While a simple barrel shape was the most common form, weights such as this one in the shape of a duck (with its neck and head resting along its back) were also plentiful.
Collected by
Oriental Exploration Fund, University of Chicago
Excavated by The Oriental Institute 1903-1904
Multimedia
Life in Ancient Mesopotamia
What was life like in ancient Mesopotamia? Find out in this video featuring Oriental Institute Assyriologist Dr. Martha Roth.
Suggested Readings
Hodges, Henry. Technology in the Ancient World. New York: Barnes and Noble Books, 1992.
Moss, Carol. Science in Ancient Mesopotamia. New York: Franklin Watts, 1989.
Roaf, Michael. Cultural Atlas of Mesopotamia and the Ancient Near East. New York: Facts on File, 1990.
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