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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;TuckHard, post: 4529567, member: 102653&quot;]Here&#039;s a bit of an odd question, does anyone know what the longest running weight system was in the world? Or at least one without significant weight variance?</p><p><br /></p><p>I have a running theory that the title belongs to the Massa Weight System of the Maritime Southeast Asian kingdoms. The system first appeared in Central Java around 780 AD where 1 massa = 2.4/2.5 grams. The massa continued in use throughout the region, first in Central Java before spreading to East Java, Bali, Sumatra, the Philippine Islands, and the Malay Peninsula. The Massa Weight System continued until at least the late 17th century; it was issued under the Johor Sultanate until 1677 AD, still at 2.4/2.5 grams. If we count the denominational coins of the massa, like the atak and kupang (1 massa = 2 atak = 4 kupang), that had evolved from the earliest massa by 930 AD at the latest, the kupang was in use until 1699 AD.</p><p><br /></p><p>Does anyone know of anything that runs longer, or even comes close to the Massa Weight System? A run of around 900 years with little variance of weights, and the correcting of that variance when it did occur, seems amazingly impressive for a region and period that is so infrequently discussed in numismatics.</p><p><br /></p><p>Edit: added photo</p><p style="text-align: center">[ATTACH=full]1121916[/ATTACH] </p> <p style="text-align: center">c. 780-850 AD</p> <p style="text-align: center">AR Massa - 2.44 grams - Early Type.</p> <p style="text-align: center">Central Java</p> <p style="text-align: center">Shailendra Dynasty of the Mataram Kingdom</p><p>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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