Exploring coins, history at University of Calgary’s Nickle Galleries

Dr. Robert Weir, a faculty member with the University of Windsor’s languages, literatures and cultures department, was the latest virtual guest at the Nickle Galleries, a museum and art gallery housed at the University of Calgary.

During a Nov. 18 Zoom presentation, Weir highlighted his methodology for identifying coins found in excavations. The coins – typically heavily corroded bronzes – can be used to interpret history, especially when found in hoards. While showing examples of coins from some of the sites where he previously worked, Weir also shared some of his interpretations.

Weir earned a bachelor’s degree with honours in Classics from the University of British Columbia in 1990 and a master’s degree and PhD in Classical Archaeology from Princeton University in 1993 and 1998, respectively. He has been with the University of Windsor’s languages, literatures and cultures department since 2002, and his research has mainly focused on the study and interpretation of coin hoards from excavations in Greece (Mytilene, Stymphalos, Kenchreai and Helike) and Cyprus (Polis Chrysochous). He also hopes to soon explore Turkey (Anamur).

In addition to his work with coins, Weir also reconstructs the provenances of 16th-to-18th-century books from their marginalia (margin marks) and ownership marks.

The Nickle Galleries also played host to a banquet during the 2019 Royal Canadian Numismatic Association Convention in Calgary, Alta.

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