Tanka of Sultan Mas'ud c. 15th century

Editor: Here we have a Tanka of Sultan Mas'ud, artist and date unknown. It's a small, silver coin with intricate calligraphic markings. What can you tell me about this piece? Curator: This coin, beyond its face value, represents the labor and resources extracted to produce it. Consider the mines, the smiths, the political authority needed to standardize its production and ensure circulation. Editor: So, it is less about the artistry and more about what it took to make? Curator: Precisely! The coin embodies the material and social relations of its time. How was the silver obtained? Who controlled the mint? These questions reveal more than aesthetics ever could. Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way. It makes me appreciate the coin’s significance differently. Curator: Indeed, by focusing on the coin's production and circulation, we understand its profound connection to social power and control.