Anonymous Follis c. 1030 - 1042

Curator: At first glance, one can discern a somber weight about this small, time-worn piece. Editor: Indeed. This is an Anonymous Follis, currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. What we see here is not merely a coin, but a potent cultural artifact. Curator: Note how the composition on either side presents a dialectic between image and text. The figural representation of Christ seems poised against the formal inscriptions. Editor: Its anonymous nature speaks volumes about the standardization of Byzantine currency and imperial authority. Imagine its journey through countless hands, each transaction a small interaction shaping history. Curator: Observe also the way the metal has aged, the patina lending a tactile quality that transcends its monetary function. Editor: The survival of this Follis offers a tangible connection to the past, revealing insights into the socio-economic conditions of its time. It also demonstrates the power of institutions like the Harvard Art Museums to preserve cultural memory. Curator: In essence, we see how form and function converge to evoke both the sacred and the secular. Editor: And its very existence prompts us to question how we assign value, both monetary and historical, to the objects that surround us.