Obverse: Ram's head, l.; beneath, dolphin, l. Reverse: Incuse circle; inside, goat's head facing between two dolphins, upwards, and two ivy leaves.
Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Unspecified Collection OBJECT NUMBER: 1976.79.1149
Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Unspecified Collection OBJECT NUMBER: 1976.79.1153
Parthénon pris du Temple de la Victoire, Aptère, et mur Pélasgique
Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Transfer from the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts OBJECT NUMBER: 2.2002.2448
Gelatin Silver Print Photograph, image: 22 x 27.9 cm (8 11/16 x 11 in.)
Money Map of Africa: inkjet print on enhanced paper from original collage
Justine Smith, 2007, London, paper, 1010x1190 mm, British Museum
The “Money Map of Africa” compounds many of Smith’s ideas relating to money. The images and cultural symbols on the banknotes are significant and can give an indication of the economy of a given country. First world countries may show inventors, great architects, defining achievements, artists and historical figures, whereas a poorer economy may show its natural assets such as local flora and fauna, agricultural and local industries – Madagascar for example shows boats and fishermen, and The Congo shows tribal costumes and artefacts. Religious symbols may feature such as saints, holy buildings, religious leaders, whilst spiritual and cultural alliances can be seen as groups of countries appear to merge due to the similarity of Islamic design on the banknotes. One can also see economic alliances such as the West and Central African states, which share common currencies between a group of nations. Similarly, one can also see traces of old empires - some country’s borders are naturally formed by rivers or mountains, but other country’s borders are man-made – to an extent divided by money. Some states are literally drawn with a ruler and pencil, evidence of it being divided up as a consequence of its colonial past. There are of course geological maps, but this map is a political map showing political boundaries of each state. Over time, this map will date as new alliances are formed, or wars annex one country onto another, or there is a regime change and a new currency is issued. All the notes on this map are current issue.
Cowrie money, used in the Kingdom of Bambara, Africa
Alloy coin in the shape of a dolphin, minted in Olbia on the Black Sea, 5th century BCE
The British Museum, Coins and Medals, 1929,1013.47
Daric of the Achaemenid Kings Coin Constituent: Achaemenid Kings
Credit line: Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Loan from the Trustees of the Arthur Stone Dewing Greek Numismatic Foundation Object number: 1.1965.2710
Siglos of the Achaemenid Kings Coin Constituent: Achaemenid Kings
Credit line: Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Loan from the Trustees of the Arthur Stone Dewing Greek Numismatic Foundation Object number: 1.1965.2714
Silver Tetradrachm of Ptolemy I Soter, minted in Egypt (r. 323-285 BCE)
Silver Tetradrachm of Ptolemy I Soter, minted in Egypt (r. 323-285 BCE) Obv.: Head of Alexander in lion skin and aegis r., with horns of Zeus Ammon; dotted border. Rev.: Athena Alkidemos, r., holding spear and shield; to r., an eagle clutching thunderbolt r.; border of dots; to l., W in circle; to r., Delta Iota
Harvard Art Museums, Trustees for Harvard University
Alexander the Great Alternate Title: Alexander with Lance
2nd-3rd century (CE) (Roman Imperial Middle)
Credit line: Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Gift of Mr. C. Ruxton Love, Jr. Object number: 1956.20
Sculpture - Leaded bronze on stone base Technique: Cast, lost-wax process Dimensions: 12.1 x 5.3 x 3.6 cm (4 3/4 x 2 1/16 x 1 7/16 in.)