Anonymous Follis c. 976 - 1035

Curator: Here we have an Anonymous Follis, weighing 13.3 grams, part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: Immediately, I'm struck by how worn it looks, yet those faint images still feel so weighty and alive. Curator: These coins circulated widely within the Byzantine Empire, a reflection of its complex economic and social structures. The "anonymous" aspect suggests a deliberate choice to emphasize the imperial office rather than a specific ruler. Editor: The image of Christ on one side and the inscriptions on the other create a powerful symbolic language. It speaks to a society where the divine was intertwined with daily life and governance. It's almost like holding a piece of their collective psyche. Curator: Exactly, and it points to a sophisticated understanding of how imagery and belief can legitimize power. Editor: To think of the countless hands that touched this, each imbuing it with their own anxieties and hopes… it really transcends its monetary value. Curator: Indeed, it serves as a potent reminder of how art and objects become integral to cultural narratives. Editor: Yes, holding this, one gets a real sense of the past.