Consider that this arrowhead came from a Crimean hoard. What’s the country of origin?
#Ukraine?
#Russia?
USSR?
Scythia?

Or does it depend on who’s in the White House and how cozy they are with Moscow?

What's this timeline where Trump's geopolitics determine #tariffs on 2500-year-old artefacts? 3/3

Here’s a Scythian-Cimmerian trilobate arrowhead (6th–2nd c. BC) from my collection. Nomadic people from the Eurasian steppe who invaded the Near East in the 8th c. BC and controlled hegemonically areas in present-day Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Syria, Turkey, Ukraine, Russia, Moldova… 2/3

Several major coin auction houses (incl. CNG & Spink pictured here) have issued statements regarding the new US #tariffs regulations. Coins imported into the US will now be taxed based on their country of "origin" or "manufacture"... even if they’re 2,000+ years old🤦‍♂️1/3 #Numismatics

Stepping away from the Ancients to ask:
Is there anything more Eastern European than being stabbed in the back and abandoned by the US?
1945: Vin americanii! ("The Americans are coming!") referring to the American-led invasion to topple the Soviet-backed, Communist governments that never came.
2025:

Manuel Esteve Guerrero curated the Archaeological Museum of Jerez but didn’t discover the Corinthian helmet in Corta y El Portal in 1938. It’s the oldest Greek relic in Iberia, dated to 630 BC. The loss of the nasal and the lateral hole seems intentionally made, not from combat.

Happy #ValentinesDay, here’s a 4th century love spell from the Paris, BnF MS Supp. grec 574 (PGM IV) papyrus: “Wondrous spell for binding a lover (φιλτροκατάδεcμοc θαυμαcτόc). Take wax [or clay] from a potter’s wheel and make two figures, a male and a female. Make the male in the form of Ares… 1/3

The thieves of the ‘Dacia - Realm of Gold and Silver’ exhibition were caught by the Dutch police. But the golden helmet of Coțofănești and the three golden royal bracelets haven't yet been recovered.

…, it’s presumed they got away with the famous invaluable golden helmet of Coțofănești, which dates from around 450 BCE, and three #Dacian royal bracelets dated to 50 BCE. 2/2

Early on Saturday morning, thieves entered the Drents Museum in Assen, the Netherlands, blasting open a door with explosives. Although not confirmed which solid gold Geto- #Dacian artefacts were stolen (all lent by the Romanian authorities for the ‘Dacia - Realm of Gold and Silver’ exhibition), 1/2

10 January 49 BC: #Caesar crosses the Rubicon. #Pompey “issued an edict in which he recognised a state of civil war, ordered all the senators to follow him, declared that he would regard as a partisan of Caesar any one who remained behind” (Plutarch, “Parallel Lives”) and flees East. #numismatics

Here he is depicted on a #denarius struck by the moneyer M. Furius L.f. Philus in 119 BC, the obverse depicting the head of #Janus; the reverse commemorating the defeat of Gallic tribes the Allobroges and the Averni in Gaul by Quintus Fabius Maximus, which finally secured this region for Rome. (2/2)

The month of January is named for the Roman god #Janus. As a god of movement and change, Janus looks after gateways, causes actions to start and presides over all beginnings; thus his double nature, symbolised in his two-headed image. (1/2) #Romanmythology #Romanhistory

Plating breaks reveal the greenish copper core and there's a lot of oxidation around Concordia. The craftsmanship is stunning for a "fake". That's of course because many fourrées were produced by mint workers moonlighting or using retired or stolen dies, not only by out and out counterfeiters. (2/2)

A fourrée (subaeratus) denarius of empress Sabina (128-136/7 AC) from my personal collection. These ancient counterfeits were struck with a base metal core that was then plated with silver to look like their official counterparts. Although in fine style like in here, it is underweight at 2.4g. (1/2)

Tropaeum Traiani at Adamclisi, Romania, before, during and after its (very liberal) reconstruction in the 1970s. Built in 109 to commemorate Trajan's victory in the Dacian Wars, allegedly on the site of a battle fought in winter of 101-102. #RomanEmpire

Finally went back to reading (for pleasure) and thoroughly enjoying “Ghost on the Throne: The Death of Alexander the Great and the Bloody Fight for His Empire” by James Romm. Superlatively written. Can't stop picturing the characters through the lens of Oliver Stone's "Alexander". GoT but better!