Page:Origin of metallic currency and weight standards.djvu/299

 that this is a multiple of the light and not of the heavy shekel, for it is not likely that such a multiple as 2-1/2 would be employed. On the other hand, we found the five-fold multiple of the light shekel appearing in the Assyrian system, and also the Egyptian.

Bull's-head Five-shekel Weight.

The Hebrew systems, as we have tentatively set them forth, may be seen in the following tables.

I. Earliest period. Shekel of 130-5 grs. alone employed for gold and probably silver.

II. Mosaic period. Gold and Silver. (The old light shekel or ox-unit is now called shekel of the Sanctuary to distinguish it from its double.)   50 light Shekels = 1 Maneh 3000 light Shekels = 60 Manehs = 1 Kikkar (talent). III. Regal period. Gold.

100 light (= 50 double) shekels = 1 heavy Maneh 5000 heavy (= 10,000 light) "   = 100 heavy Manehs = 1 talent.

The same system was probably employed for silver and copper, but instead of counting 100 light shekels to the Maneh as in the case of gold, they reckoned silver and copper by the double shekel, probably called the king's shekel in contradistinction to that of the Sanctuary.

IV. After the Return. The light shekel still retained for gold, and the Babylonian, or Phoenician silver standard, employed for silver.