Coin of Constantine VII c. 945 - 950

Editor: This is an ancient coin of Constantine VII at the Harvard Art Museums. It’s small, almost unreadable, but there's a presence to its worn surface. How can we interpret a piece like this? Curator: Let us consider the semiotic weight impressed on this small, circular field. The arrangement of text and figural representation—how does their juxtaposition create meaning? Editor: It's hard to read, but I see a figure on one side and some kind of lettering on the other. Curator: Indeed. Observe the circular form itself; its unbroken contour suggests wholeness, continuity. Now, consider the incised lines, the depth and texture they create. Do these formal qualities evoke a sense of power or fragility? Editor: I hadn't thought about the circle itself as having meaning. It is powerful how such a small object can contain so much. Curator: Precisely. Attending to these formal elements allows us to decode the coin's message, even across centuries.