Decanummium of Maurice Tiberius, Constantinople 582 - 602

This Byzantine bronze coin, a Decanummium of Maurice Tiberius, was struck in Constantinople—what is now Istanbul. Imagine the act of minting this coin: the hammering and the striking, the wear and tear from being handled and passed around, and the mystery of how it ended up here, in Harvard. This little bronze disc speaks of ancient trade routes and the everyday economy of the Byzantine Empire. I can almost feel the weight of it in my hand, the coolness of the metal, and the ghostly presence of those who held it centuries ago. It reminds me of how the simplest objects can carry the weight of history. And in its worn, almost illegible state, it connects to all the attempts we make at preserving something, at making something that lasts, that has value. So much effort, and yet time and gravity always win. But something always remains.