Step 18 of 23

Duck weight

Related Images

  • Fig. 1 - Duck weights in the British Museum - The British Museum - [91435](https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/W_1855-1205-100)
  • Fig. 2 - (Duck) weights in the Louvre - Louvre Museum - [AO 21419](https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010146133)

You might have a hard time seeing in what shape this stone is carved, but when you look closely, you can see that it is a duck, with its head resting on its back.

This duck was not just a figurine to feature on a mantelpiece, but it had a very useful function: it is a weight, used in ancient Mesopotamia. Weights like these were used to measure amounts of silver during transactions. This one is quite small, larger duck weights are known that weigh up to one pound!