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Macedonian Lead Tessera Imperial Portrait Artifact Antiquity 15mm Authentic
Authentic ancient artifact, guaranteed genuine and accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. Registered Holy Land find.
Culture: Roman Macedonia / Provincial GreeceDate: Circa 1st–3rd Century ADMaterial: Lead (Plumbum)Type: Tessera / Civic Token / AntiquityDiameter: 15 mm
Description:This delicate leaden tessera originates from the Roman provincial administration of Macedonia. The obverse features a localized imperial portrait rendered in a distinct provincial style. In the Roman East, lead tokens served as proof of eligibility for distributions or admission to localized festivals (Agones). The small 15mm module suggests a specific, high-frequency use within a municipal market or temple complex. The thick, white "eggshell" patina is a hallmark of lead that has rested in mineral-rich soil for nearly two millennia.
Comparable Examples:
The British Museum: Registration Number 1867,0111.45.
Ashmolean Museum: Roman Lead Token Collection (Macedonian Series).
Rostovtsev, M., Tesserarum Urbis Romae et Suburbi Plumbearum Sylloge, Paragraph 1042.
Gulath, H., Römische Bleitesserae, Section on Northern Greece and Macedonia.
Condition:Very Fine. The central portrait remains remarkably distinct for a lead piece of this size. The patina is stable and provides a beautiful, historically accurate appearance.
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