Anonymous Follis c. 1042 - 1050

Curator: This is an Anonymous Follis, likely from the Byzantine era, held at the Harvard Art Museums. Immediately, I think of the weight of history it carries. Editor: It looks like it’s been through a lot! The corrosion gives it a kind of somber, weighty presence, doesn't it? Like it's holding onto untold stories. Curator: Exactly. These coins, though small, were tied to imperial power and belief systems. The inscriptions, though worn, link it to religious iconography and imperial authority. Editor: And the anonymity is interesting, too. It takes away the cult of personality. Curator: Precisely. It allows us to consider the broader social and political structures at play, the ways power was circulated – literally! Editor: It makes you think about all the hands it passed through, the everyday transactions, the lives touched by this small piece of metal. Curator: It’s really amazing that something so humble can open up such a huge historical world. Editor: Absolutely. Looking at this, I feel an echo of resilience. Imperfect, worn, but still here.