Imitation of Dinar of al-Amir c. 12th century

Curator: This is an "Imitation of Dinar of al-Amir," a gold coin that weighs a mere 3.89 grams, currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It’s remarkably small, and the craftsmanship, though detailed, has a roughness to it. You can almost feel the hand that made it. Curator: It speaks to broader historical trends, this act of imitation. Who was trying to emulate al-Amir, and what did it mean for their own political ambitions? Editor: The gold itself tells a story. Where did it come from? What labor was involved in its extraction and refinement? The material carries so much weight, literally and figuratively. Curator: Indeed. The coin's circulation, its use in trade and exchange, all reflect the political and economic landscape of its time. It’s a window into a world. Editor: And a reminder that even something so small can be a product of vast social and material networks. Curator: I find myself contemplating its place in shaping history. Editor: While I’m struck by the lives it must have touched and the journeys it undertook.