Early Anglo-Saxon Weights

Extract

In our Proceedings xvi, 174, is an illustration of a bronze weight found at Grove Ferry, near Fordwich, Kent, and exhibited by Col. Copeland, who subsequently presented it to the British Museum. There is a description by bur present President, with references to other weights from Kentish graves of the sixth century, which were later studied by Mr. Fred. Seebohm; but it has recently been re-weighed, and its value found to be 576 troy (or barley) grains, not 575 grains. The difference is trifling, but enough to emphasize the fact that it is exactly one-tenth of the troy pound. On each face are 22 impressions of the same stamp, arranged in different ways, and therefore in this case probably ornamental. The decimal division of the pound is found in Republican Rome, but there the pound was 5760 and the ounce 576 wheat grains, four of which are equivalent to three barley or troy grains. However, I can find no evidence that the above hint has ever been taken in order to explain the weight-system of our pagan forefathers in England. For this purpose let it be supposed that the troy pound, which is not named before the fifteenth century, was divided in two ways. In the tables G stands for grammes of 154 grains, and an asterisk distinguishes weights that exactly agree with the standard.