6th-7th century AD. A sub-circular weight made in translucent, pale grey 'clear' glass; a stylised design with twelve slender lozengiform 'petals' cut into the top surface; two circumferential bands of 'dashed' incisions to the edge, edge slightly serrated all around but the whole image very well centred and embossed. See Bendall, S., Byzantine Weights. An Introduction, London, 1996.184 grams, 68mm (2 3/4"). From the property of a private Essex collector; acquired in the early 1990s. Such small glass weights were used by the Romans and later by the Arabs to check the value of gold and silver coins, and for various commercial activities.