Object Description
A rare Palmyrene bronze token or tessera decorated on both sides. The front features the depiction of a male bust, wearing a highly detailed kelathos headdress and holding a branch in his left hand. On the reverse, a depiction of a sharp pointed instrument between two sheathed knives, topped by a Samaritan inscription. The tokens known in Greek as σύμβολα, of Palmyra are tiles with various shapes, made almost exclusively of clay, comprising embossed designs on both sides. These objects held an important role in Palmyra’s religious festivals, since they were used to access ceremonial meals or in distributions following certain sacrifices. They provide important information on the deities of Palmyra and Semitic religious history in general.
Date: Circa 2nd – 3rd Century AD