Duck Weights

These stone ducks are weights. Weights at Nuzi were based on the Babylonian system of shekels, minas, and talents. A mina weighed about a pound. 60 shekels equaled a mina, and 60 minas equaled a talent. The weights were often marked with notches so they could be easily identified. The right duck here, with 2 notches on the neck, weighed 20 minas. The left one was originally 10 minas, but was broken, so it was re-marked with its new 7 mina weight, indicted by 7 notches on its back, and it continued to be used.