Old Babylonian, 2nd millennium BCE. A skillfully carved stone duck weight, this one carved from a beautiful black stone and of a relatively large size, in the form of a seated duck with a long neck turned and folded over its back. Size: 2.8" W x 1.7" H (7.1 cm x 4.3 cm)

Duck weights were used to check the accuracy of payment when exchanging valuables - land, agricultural goods, paying taxes, etc. Weights like this one would be placed on pan scales alongside commodities. Duck weights corresponded to local standardized units, known as talents and mina. They were made to be both functional and aesthetically appealing, suggesting that the people who used them valued beauty in everyday objects.

Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired before 2010

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#154283

Surface wear commensurate with age including some ancient losses under the bird's tail feathers and on one lower side. Form is smoothed from age and handling. Light deposits on lower profile areas.