Greece, Lucania, Metapont, bronze denomination, ca. 300-250 B.C.
Av. Bust of Athena wearing an ornate Attic helmet in front, head slightly turned to the right.
Rv. An ear of grain, with a long leaf on which stands a long torch with a cross. In the left field META.
Bronze, 3.92 g, 16/17 mm, 7 g axis. Johnston 46; HNI 1682.
Condition II+, a beautifully preserved coin.
In English-language literature, the object shown on the reverse is most often referred to as a "cross torch, cross-headed torch", which is difficult to render in Polish. It is understood to be a torch consisting of a long stylus on top of which are horizontally attached two crossed crossbars with torches on the ends. This is confirmed in Greek iconography, such as on painted vessels with scenes of Eleusinian mysteries, where such a torch is held by Hekate or Demeter.
