LMLK Weights
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Excavations at Gezer produced this trapezoidal bronze weight that has the word "LMLK" inscribed on it along with 2 vertical strokes, which can be interpreted as a royal standard weighing 2 shekels (22.28 grams):

Illustration from "The Excavation of Gezer 1902-1905 & 1907-1909 vol. 2" by R.A. Stewart Macalister

Here is an unprovenanced bronze weight (21.7 grams) that also has the word "LMLK" inscribed on it along with the 2 vertical strokes but also a "shekel" symbol.  The actual size is 11.9mm (height), 17.5x16.4mm (top rectangle with "LMLK"), 14.3x12.4mm (bottom rectangle with strange symbol).  Nobody knows how to interpret the symbol on the bottom rectangle, which vaguely resembles cuneiform strokes, so 4 rotated views are presented below (from "Forty New Ancient West Semitic Inscriptions" by R. Deutsch & M. Heltzer (available from Archaeological Center):

This bronze lion weight, though found far from Judean territory in ancient Nimrud (ID# ND2163; length 7cm; weight 250g (about 1/2 pound)), may have originated in Jerusalem & been taken as booty during the Babylonian conquest.  In IEJ vol. 28 #4, Gabriel Barkay speculated that the incised inscription on its base may be "LMLK" in Aramaic (photos from "Nimrud & Its Remains vol. 1" by M.E.L. Mallowan):

"He weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels according to the king's standard."--2Samuel 14:26
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This page was created on May 30, 2002, & last updated on September 2, 2002