Coin of Manuel I c. 1160 - 1167

Editor: This is a coin of Manuel I from the Harvard Art Museums. It's a small, unassuming object, but the imagery is striking. What can you tell me about the significance of the figures depicted here? Curator: Notice how the images are pressed onto the coin, almost like imprints of memory. What stories do you think they tell? Editor: I see two figures, but I am not sure of their symbolic weight. Curator: Consider the placement of the Virgin Mary on one side, juxtaposed with the Emperor and perhaps a religious figure on the other. It evokes ideas of divine authority, doesn't it? The figures and symbols are not just decorations, but rather compact summaries of power and belief. What feelings do you have about these symbols? Editor: It does speak to a world where religious and secular power were intertwined. It’s fascinating how much history and meaning can be embedded in a tiny coin. Curator: Precisely! It's a window into the Byzantine world, where even everyday objects carry cultural memory.