Dirham of Hisham, Wasit 733 - 734

Editor: Here we have a Dirham of Hisham from Wasit. The artist is Hisham, and it's currently at the Harvard Art Museums. It's fascinating to see such an old coin. What can we learn from it? Curator: We can examine this coin not merely as currency, but as a product of specific labor and material conditions. The silver itself, where did it originate? Who mined it, and under what duress? And consider the engraving: what tools were used, and what does the act of inscribing these words onto metal signify about power and control in that society? Editor: So it’s about more than just its value as money? Curator: Precisely. It’s about the social relations embedded within its production and circulation. How did its materiality shape consumption and trade? Editor: That's a completely different way of thinking about a coin! I'll definitely look at currency differently now.