Dirham of Rusudan of Georgia 1230

Editor: This is a Dirham of Rusudan of Georgia, it's small and silver, and appears to have been stamped with symbols. What do you see when you look at this piece? Curator: I see a claim of power embedded in the very material of exchange. This coin isn't just currency; it's a statement about Rusudan's authority, minted in silver, connecting her reign to tangible wealth and trade networks. It begs the question, how did the production and circulation of such coinage shape social relations and consumption patterns in her kingdom? Editor: So it's about the message carried in the silver itself? Curator: Precisely. It is about understanding the coin as a product of labor, a marker of economic systems, and a tool for projecting power. We are looking at a history told through the very substance of this object. Editor: That gives me a new perspective on the value of materials in art.