Hexagram of Herakleios c. 615 - 638

Curator: This is a Hexagram of Herakleios, struck by Abd-al-Malik of the Umayyads. Editor: It has the look of worn currency, though the figures on the front are still legible, their robes appearing remarkably detailed. Curator: Yes, coins like these are fascinating because they tell a story of cultural exchange and political maneuvering. Abd-al-Malik adopted Byzantine coin designs but gradually replaced Christian symbols. Editor: So it becomes a material object reflecting a shift in power and ideology, made of precious metal, with its worth measured in more ways than one. Curator: Precisely. It’s a tangible record of evolving identities and beliefs. Editor: It definitely gives you a sense of the era's complexities. Curator: Indeed, material and symbol, forever linked.