Replica of Roman steelyard, from Pompeii, 79 AD

Made:
1-79 CE; before 1914 in Italy and Pompeii
Reproduction of an ancient Roman steelyard (Pompeii AD 79)

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Reproduction of an ancient Roman steelyard (Pompeii AD 79)
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Reproduction of an ancient Roman steelyard (Pompeii AD 79)

This steelyard balance is a direct copy of an example excavated from the Roman town of Pompeii in Italy. The settlement is famous for being buried in ash after the nearby volcano of Vesuvius erupted violently in AD 79. Working on the lever principle the steelyard operates by moving the counterweight (woman's head) along the beam until the item being weighed is horizontal and hence in equilibrium. The weight is determined by the position of the counterpoise thread against the lines and divisions marks on the balance beam.

Details

Category:
Weighing & Measuring
Object Number:
1914-404
type:
steelyard and replica
credit:
Chiurazzi, J. (S. de Angelis & Fils, Naples)