Coin of Herakleios c. 613 - 618

Curator: Here we have a gold coin, "Coin of Herakleios", struck by Abd-al-Malik of the Umayyads, a fascinating historical artifact housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It feels weighty, doesn't it? The gold has such presence despite its small size. The figures feel so rigidly posed, almost iconic. Curator: Indeed. The Umayyads initially adopted Byzantine coin designs. You see Herakleios and his son on one side, a cross on steps on the other. It's a visual bridge between empires. Editor: So much power and transition encapsulated in this little disc. Makes you think about what stories it could tell if only it could talk. Curator: Absolutely. It offers a window into a complex moment of cultural exchange and adaptation. I always feel a deep connection to the past when I look at it. Editor: And I'm struck by its physical endurance – how it still gleams across the ages.