This image is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 Licence
Saucer-shaped Byzantine coin used as an amulet against smallpox
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Very worn, saucer-shaped Byzantine coin used as an amulet against smallpox, produced in Asia Minor, 300-1450
The practice of carrying amulets or charms to bring good luck and good health through protection against disease has an extremely long history. This worn, slightly misshapen piece of copper was once a coin from Byzantium (modern day Istanbul), an ancient Greek city founded in the 600s BCE. More recently it has been carried as a protective amulet against smallpox.
On display
Science Museum: Medicine: The Wellcome Galleries
If you are visiting to see this object, please contact us in advance to make sure that it will be on display.
Details
- Category:
- Ethnography and Folk Medicine
- Object Number:
- A665893
- type:
- coin and folk medicine (protection) amulet, coin and folk medicine (protection)
- taxonomy:
-
- visual and verbal communication
- exchange medium
- currency
- visual and verbal communication
- exchange medium
- currency
- credit:
- Loan, Wellcome Trust
Cite this page
Rights
We encourage the use and reuse of our collection data.
Data in the title, made, maker and details fields are released under Creative Commons Zero
Descriptions and all other text content are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence
Download
Download catalogue entry as json
View 
manifest in IIIF viewer
Add to Animal Crossing Art Generator
Download manifest IIIF
Our records are constantly being enhanced and improved, but please note that we cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information shown on this website.
