score:7
First, lets tone down the rhetoric. 75 pounds won't snap anybody's neck — unless of course it is in motion, in which case 75 grams would work too. I've personally had occasion to lift a lot more than that with my head and the neck (even un-excersised) is a pretty strong bit of muscle. In fact in much of the world carrying heavy loads is something you do with your head.
In other words no, managing a crown that heavy would not even have been particularly difficult, much less dangerous. I probably wouldn't have wanted to wear one all day, but for special occasions it is quite a reasonable possibility. Body mechanics allow for it being quite possible.
Second, the weight of a talant was different at different times in history and in different countries. This suggests in this time and place it was probably a bit lighter than your estimate:
More recent research suggests the “light” standard talent was 67.3 lbs. (30.6 kg). (NET Bible notes)
Admittedly this is more substantial than the 4.9lbs of St Edward’s Crown used in modern English crownings, but kings of old were more known for their strength in battle than modern queens are for their choice in fashion.
Searching for weights of historic crows is proving a bit harder. Their value is always calculated but not always their weight. Jewels are often more the point than the raw metal involved. 60 some pounds of metal does seem a bit unwieldy, but if you're using it only for very special occasions and sitting straight as a ramrod in your throne for show anyway, then I could see it giving the right ambiance.
Upvote:-1
Or could it have been that men were simply larger 5000 years ago and 75lbs would be nothing to someone say... 8-12 feet tall?
Sounds preposterous to us now, but so did pre-flood men living almost 1000 years.
Ive heard some say thats not possible because David was shorter than Goliath, who stood at 6 cubits. But just what length of arm would that cubit have been measured by? If the norm 5000 years ago was 8-12 feet tall then a forearm would be substantially longer.