Prutah of John Hyrcanus I c. 134

Curator: Here we have a Prutah, a coin minted during the reign of John Hyrcanus I. Editor: It's a heavily patinated bronze, isn't it? I'm struck by the sense of age, of history etched into the very material. Curator: Absolutely. As a ruler and high priest in the Hasmonean dynasty, John Hyrcanus I played a pivotal role in shaping Judean identity during the Second Temple period. Coins like these weren't just currency, but symbols of his power and authority. Editor: Look at how the script is almost obscured, yet you can still discern the shapes. It feels like an abstraction, a pattern. The weight, 1.65g, adds to its significance. Curator: The inscriptions are key, representing the name of the ruler or religious symbols—a declaration of sovereignty against a backdrop of political and cultural shifts. Editor: It's a fascinating artifact, this small disc. Curator: Indeed, a tangible link to a fascinating, and often turbulent, past.