Caption

Denarius of Boleslaw III Krzywousty (prince of Poland; reign 1107–1138). Obverse (in the beaded border): a knight in chain mail thrusting a spearhead into the jaws of an upside-down dragon; under the knight's right elbow, an isosceles cross with arms terminating in balls. Reverse (in the triple beaded border): an isosceles cross terminating in balls; at the intersection a ball, with one ball between each arm (three of them show one dot each; the fourth is obscured), and a crossbar on one arm nearer the center. Allegorical Romanesque imagery: knight, dragon, fight between good and evil, martyrs; motifs include equal-armed cross, crosses, jaws, spearhead (issue mark), chain mail, spears. Inscription/attribution: Boleslaw III Krzywousty. Date: ca. 1125–1138. Place: Kraków, Poland. Medium: coin (denarius). Diameter: ca. 12.2–12.6 mm. Weight: 0.36 g.

Credit line

Photo12/Liszt Collection

Reference

LZT26A64_331

License type

Rights managed

Available size

27.0Mb (671.6Kb) / 10.2in x 10.2in / 3071 x 3071 (300dpi)

Keywords

Denarius Boleslaw III Krzywousty prince Poland reign 1107–1138 Obverse beaded border knight chain mail thrusting spearhead jaws upside-down dragon under knight's right elbow isosceles cross arms terminating balls Reverse triple beaded border isosceles cross terminating intersection ball arm three them dot fourth obscured crossbar arm nearer center Allegorical Romanesque imagery dragon fight good evil martyrs motifs include equal-armed cross crosses issue mark chain mail spears Inscription attribution Date ca 1125–1138 Place Kraków Medium coin denarius Diameter 12.2–12.6 mm Weight 0.36 g small circular metallic object textured slightly irregular edge sits centered white background object silver-gray darker gray shadows recessed areas concentric raised ridges central design rounded nodes connected short bars giving cross- pattern surrounded circular motifs.