Black stone
Mesopotamia
The British Museum
Details
Culture/Civilisation
Harappan Civilisation
Subtheme
How the Cities Traded
Display Location
Rotunda
Findspot
Babylon
Measurements
H - 18, L- 36, W- 21, approximately 16 kg
Accession Number
19630715.1 / 134301 / 1963,0715.1
Description
The ‘duck weight,’ depicting a duck with its head turned back, originated in southern Mesopotamia in the late 3rd millennium BCE. Made of haematite — associated with the sun-God Shamash — it weighs about 16 kg, and was part of standard weight sets used across western Asia into the Achaemenid period. Designated weights were used to weigh, grain, precious stones, textiles and beads. Smooth, black stone weight with in form of sleeping duck with head resting on back; two lines of cuneiform inscription on left shoulder; Babylonian.