ԿՇՌԱՔԱՐ` ՀԱՅՏՆԱԲԵՐՎԱԾ ԱՐՏԱՇԱՏ ՄԱՅՐԱՔԱՂԱՔԻ ՏԱՐԱԾՔԻՑ (ՀԱՅ.) / SCALE WEIGHT FOUND IN TERRITORY OF ANCIENT CAPITAL ARTASHAT

<jats:p>Scale weights of the ancient period are rare, so every such find can be a new word not only in the Armenia’s history of the economy and culture, but also in antique archaeology of the region. Unfortunately, the scale weight that is the subject of the article was not found during the excavations, but was acquired from a private person. This does not allow a full study of the weight in its archaeological environment, which could have answered more questions. There are almost no data on the discovery of ancient weights from Armenia, including the capital of Artashat. At first glance, it seems strange, especially if we take into account the large number of foreign coins, several thousand sealings and imported luxury objects found in the territory of Artashat, which are evidence of the city as a developed trade center. The bronze weight from in the territory of Artashat has the shape of a scallop seashell and weights 135.89 g, which corresponds to ten shekels according to the Tyrian light weight standard. The weight of the shekel/tetradrachm/stater, the main unit of the monetary system of Phoenician Tyre, varies from 12.5 to 14.5 grams and weighs lighter than the Attic tetradrachm (about 15.5 – 17.5 grams). The standard of the weight, which corresponds to the Jewish-Phoenician weight system, gives reason to assume that it came to Artashat from the Levant region, more precisely from the Jewish-Palestinian world. The coins of Tyre with Melqart/Heracles on the obverse and an eagle on the reverse became money that the Jews paid the temple tax. These coins were issued in Tyrian lighter weight standard used in Jewish-Palestinian world. This weight-monetary system is discussed in Armenian medieval sources detailed in context of Bible metrology. The fact that Artashat had close relations with Judea and, probably, there was a Jewish community here, is evidenced both by written sources and by the Judean coins found during excavations of Armenian ancient capital. The bronze scale weight dates from the 2nd – 1st centuries BC, which can be considered as evidence of trade and economic relations between Hellenistic Armenia and the countries of the Levant.</jats:p>