Coin 

Curator: Here we have a coin, issued by the Byzantine Empire. Its worn surface speaks volumes, doesn't it? Editor: Absolutely. There's a somber feel to it. Time and circulation have eroded the details, leaving only ghostly traces of the original design. Curator: The images, though faded, would have conveyed power. Think about the socio-political statement of minting such objects. Who was centered, who was marginalized? Editor: I see a figure holding a cross. What did that symbol mean to the people then, and how has its meaning shifted over time? Curator: It's a potent emblem of faith and empire, intersecting in complex ways. Examining such artifacts forces us to confront power dynamics that stretch across centuries. Editor: This small coin held so much symbolic and material weight. It makes me think about the stories it could tell us about survival, religion and identity. Curator: It's a lens through which we can re-examine our understanding of history. Editor: Indeed. It prompts reflections on historical forces and enduring symbols.