Dinar of Harun, Misr 900 - 901

Editor: Here we have the Dinar of Harun, Misr, a golden coin from Harvard Art Museums! It’s quite small, but the Arabic calligraphy gives it such a powerful presence. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Oh, it whispers tales of empires, doesn't it? The golden sheen, almost like a captured sun, tells of wealth, power, but also the artistry inherent in even the most functional of objects. It's a beautiful artifact of daily life, frozen in time. Do you imagine who might have held it? Editor: Someone important, probably? Now I am wondering what kind of stories it could tell. Curator: Exactly! We’ve gone from seeing an object to sensing a story.