Incuse stater of Metapontum
6th century BC ・ silver ・ 6th century BC ・ Metapontum
An ear of barley in relief on the obverse; the same ear repeated in intaglio on the reverse. This incuse technique is peculiar to the colony cities of southern Italy, and why they took such trouble is still debated. The ear is the signature of Metapontum's rich grainlands. Before any state existed, a city was already striking coinage of this order.