Excavation Coins from the Persepolis Region

Author: Miles, George Carpenter, 1904-1975
Series: Numismatic Notes and Monographs
Publisher: American Numismatic Society
Place: New York
Date: 1959
Source: Donum
Source: Worldcat
Source: Worldcat Works
Source: HathiTrust

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Open access edition funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities/Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Humanities Open Book Program.

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NUMISMATIC NOTES AND MONOGRAPHS

Number 143

NUMISMATIC NOTES AND MONOGRAPHS is devoted to essays and treatises on subjects relating to coins, paper money, medals and decorations.

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THE AMERICAN NUMISMATIC SOCIETY

PRINTED IN GERMANY AT J. J. AUGUSTIN · GLÜCKSTADT

Excavation Coins
from
the Persepolis Region

By GEORGE C. MILES

THE AMERICAN NUMISMATIC SOCIETY NEW YORK 1959

FOREWORD	1
KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS	15
CATALOGUE OF COINS
IṢṬAKHR	19
PERSEPOLIS TERRACE	85
NAQSH-I RUSTAM	91
INVENTORY OF FIELD CATALOGUE NUMBERS	108
INDEX OF DATES	116
INDEX OF MINTS AND PLACES	118
INDEX OF PERSONAL NAMES	120
INDEX OF ARABIC INSCRIPTIONS	122

FOREWORD

The coins described in the present catalogue were unearthed in the course of excavations conducted more than twenty years ago by Dr. Erich F. Schmidt on behalf of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, the University Museum of Philadelphia and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, at several sites in the region of Persepolis in southern Iran.1 By far the largest number come from the test excavations at Iṣṭakhr, about six kilometers north-northeast of Persepolis at the foot of the mountain known as the Kūh-i Raḥmat. The date of the initial founding of Iṣṭakhr is obscure, but at all events there is plentiful archaeological evidence of the city's importance in Sasanian and early Islamic times. A much smaller number of coins (73 to be exact) were recovered in the limited excavations at Naqsh-i Rustam, the site of the famous rock tombs of the Achaemenian kings and the Sasanian rupestrian sculptures, a little more than six kilometers directly north of Persepolis. At Persepolis itself, aside from the Greek coins discovered in the foundation deposits and elsewhere on the terrace,2 nineteen miscellaneous coins, ranging in date from the 3rd to the 19th century were found at various spots within and just outside the royal buildings.

Iṣṭakhr

The coins found in the Iṣṭakhr excavations, which took place in 1935 and 1937, received preliminary notice in a paper read at the International Numismatic Congress in Paris in 1953;3 definitive treatment of the material was delayed first by the second World War and subsequently by numerous other commitments. The nature and results of the excavations have been briefly described by Dr. Schmidt in The Treasury of Persepolis , pp. 107–121. While tests were undertaken at a number of points, these excavations were limited in extent and were actually little more than "sondages." An aerial view of the site (see Plate XIX) shows the location of the various tests:4 1) a test in the center to virgin soil; 2) a trench west of the center in the Islamic stratum; 3) a poorly defined gate structure in the north-west area near the edge of the mound; 4) a trench in the extreme west exposing almost exclusively Sasanian foundations and some remnants of Islamic buildings; and 5) a long north-south trench with random separated plots east of the modern village fort (popularly known as the Takht-i Ṭā'us), all Islamic. No systematic records of coin finds were available to me of other tests conducted by Ernst Herzfeld previous to Dr. Schmidt's excavations.5

In the two seasons' operations at Iṣṭakhr 1,051 coins were recovered.6 "Of these the vast majority, over 900, were Islamic. Only 19 were pre-Sasanian, and, somewhat surprisingly in view of the importance of Iṣṭakhr in Sasanian times, only 60 were definitely attributable to the Sasanians. One should, however, remark that these proportions are scarcely a reliable reflection of the relative importance of the several eras in terms of the area occupied or the size of the population at different times. The total area of the site is extensive: the circumvallated inner city measures 1,400 meters from east to west, and 650 meters from north to south. While the fortified enceinte evidently dates from the Sasanian period and continued to define the city proper in early Islam, the suburbs spread far beyond the city walls."7 A careful examination of the aerial view of the site, or of the plan with overlaid grid (Fig. 1)8 "demonstrates how relatively insignificant a portion of the total area was tested, and one can therefore reasonably assume that the almost total absence of pre-Sasanian numismatic material, the relative paucity of Sasanian coins and the preponderance of Islamic numismatic evidence is fortuitous, and that further excavations in other sections of the site might present us with quite a different numismatic pattern and a correspondingly different picture of the density and importance of the various cultural occupations."9

Fig. 1

However this may be, the excavated coins point clearly to the importance and prosperity of Iṣṭakhr in early Islamic days: that is, in the late 7th century and throughout the 8th. The following table shows the distribution of coins unearthed in the Iṣṭakhr excavations according to broad chronological categories:

Greek	1
Persis	15
Elymais	3
Sasanian	68
Sasanian or Arab-Sasanian	14
Arab-Sasanian	74
Byzantine	2
Umayyad (post-reform)	78
'Abbāsid partisans	2
Umayyad or 'Abbāsid	58
'Abbāsid	546
Sāmānid	1
Būyid	3
Seljūq(?)	1
Ilkhānid	2
Autonomous Persian	1
Qājār	1
Unidentifiable	181
	105110

The 'Abbāsid is by far the largest class, and of this class all but ten coins (nos. 521, 553, 615, 850–856) are dated, or datable, before the year 200 of the Hijrah (815 A.D.). The preponderance of 8th century bronzes among excavation coins in the regions of the Eastern Caliphate has been remarked on before. As I observed in the preliminary publication of this material, "Just how important this fact is with respect to the dating of levels, buildings and objects it is difficult to say. The paucity of copper coins struck in Persia after the end of the second century H. (at least down to the Mongol period) is a well-known phenomenon, and it was my experience also in the excavations at Rayy that the vast majority of copper coins (and of course copper coins predominate in excavation finds) found at all Islamic levels were of the second half of the 2nd century. This was true also at Antioch. Whatever other causes there may have been to explain the limitation of copper issues in later centuries, it is quite possible that the large volume of coppers struck under the rules of al-Manṣūr, al-Mahdi and Hārūn al-Rashīd met the needs for small change of most communities throughout the East for several centuries.11

Among the 'Abbāsid coins are no less than 24 hitherto unpublished issues (30, if varieties are counted): including one of Arrajān, four of Ardashīr-Khurrah, five of Iṣṭakhr, one of al-Ahwāz, one of Birāmqubādh, one of Jayy, three of Sābūr, one of Shīrāz, one of Fārs, two of Fasā, one of Wāsiṭ, and one without mint name. Three new mints are recorded: Jūr, the specific mint name for the chief town of the district of Ardashīr-Khurrah; Tawwaj, a town near Kāzirūn in the Ardashīr-Khurrah district; and Kūrat al-Mahdīyah min Fārs, a temporary official name for Ardashīr-Khurrah.12 Some of these coins bear names of officials and fill gaps in the recorded history of 'Abbāsid administration.

The next most numerous category is the post-reform Umayyad, and here again we find several unpublished types: three of Iṣṭakhr, one of Sābūr, one of Shīrāz, one (or two?) of Wāsiṭ and at least one with no mint name.

Only slightly less numerous are the pre-reform Arab-Sasanian coins and it is in this group that we find the most interesting material. Aside from a few dirhems which are comparable to published varieties, virtually everything in this category is new. Unfortunately, except for the silver dirhems, these coins are in a miserable state of preservation, as the plates will attest, and are for the most part exceedingly obscure; but what remains is of remarkable interest and adds much to our knowledge of the transitional period between the Arab conquest of Iran and the adoption of a standardized purely Arab coinage at the very end of the 7th century.13 It is not surprising to learn that at least ten of these issues (probably we would be able to say most of them, if the mint name was preserved in every instance) were struck at Iṣṭakhr itself. Especially noteworthy are the following: an issue of al-Muhallab b. abi-Ṣufrah (?) with MUHLUP in Pahlevi and what appears to be a purely epigraphical Pahlevi reverse (no. 137); another issue evidently of the same governor with two varieties of busts, the one on the obverse Arab and that on the reverse copied from an exceptional type of Khosrau II, the divinity with the flaming headdress (nos. 138–141); two issues possibly attributable to 'Abd al-Raḥmān b. Muḥammad b. al-Ash'ath, one with a conventional Sasanian obverse but accompanied by an Arabic inscription, and a purely epigraphical Pahlevi reverse, and the other a hybrid Sasanian Arab-Byzantine coin showing the Caliph "orans" (nos. 142–143); another hybrid with a Byzantine-derived cross on the reverse (nos. 146–147); an issue with Sasanian obverse and an epigraphical reverse bearing the declaration of Moslem faith in Kufic and the mint name in Pahlevi (nos. 148–149); several specimens with a modified Sasanian bust, the name of the Caliph al-Walīd (?) and Arabic epigraphical reverse (nos. 155–159).

No dates are preserved on any of these Arab-Sasanian bronzes, but for various reasons explained in the catalogue, I have assigned most of them to the years between 75 and 90 H. (between 694 and 709 A.D.), a few as early as ca. 60 H. (679 A.D.) and a few possibly as late as 120 H. (738 A.D.). While theoretically 'Abd al-Malik's coinage reform went into full effect in 79 H. (698 A.D.), we know that a few dirhems of Arab-Sasanian type were struck as late as 84 H. (703 A.D.);14 and it is not too unexpected to find that governors and mint-masters continued even later to experiment with new adaptations in their local bronze coinage.

A few words about the specific find-spots of the coins from the Iṣṭakhr excavations. The largest number of coins from any single area was found in the 1935 excavations of four ten-meter squares in the center (no. 1 on Plate XIX, and see Plate XX): some 240 specimens. The other 1935 trench (no. 4 on Plate XIX) produced about 40 coins (plus six more in 1937). The balance of the recovered coins was scattered widely throughout the rest of the excavations, with relatively heavy concentrations in the area of the "poorly defined gate structure" (no. 3 on Plate XIX) and in three squares (GL 35, HL 76 and IL 56) of the long trench east of the fort (no. 5 on Plate XIX). The large number from the area of the gate structure is chiefly accounted for by the finding in pit no. 1 of DF 65 (field no. I–2–1520) of 74 coins in an oxidized lump 2.70 meters below the mouth of the pit. Whether a beaker with molded design, unearthed in the pit 1.90 meters above the coins, had any connection with this lot is uncertain. In any case this hoard or accumulation of coins is homogeneous and appears to have been placed or lost in the pit toward the very end of the 2nd century of the Hijrah: 23 unidentifiable specimens are 'Abbāsid of the 2nd century (no. 633 of the catalogue), 20 are of Shīrāz, 192 H. (no. 522), five are of Sābūr, 183 H. (no. 510), five unidentifiable assigned to the "Umayyad or 'Abbāsid" group (no. 258), two each of Ardashīr-Khurrah, 182 H., Iṣṭakhr, 182 H., and Fasā, 182 H. (nos. 327, 478 and 562), and the rest, single specimens ranging in date from ca. 80–100 H. (no. 172) to 182 H. The earliest actually dated is a single specimen of Iṣṭakhr, 104 H. (no. 179).

There were two other sizable groups of coins found together in the Iṣṭakhr excavations. One was the lot of ten silver coins of Persis datable to about the 1st c. A.D. (nos. 3–12 of the catalogue) excavated in the south-west quarter of the center test (no. 1 on Plate XIX), among pre-Islamic debris 3.80 meters below the surface. These coins were stuck together but relatively lightly oxidized, and there was no trace of a container. The other group, field no. I–1–928, clearly constituted a hoard and comprised 33 Arab-Sasanian silver dirhems (catalogue nos. 103–134). All were issues of a single governor, 'Umar b. 'Ubaydullāh, and were struck at the same mint, Bishāpūr: five of the year 67 H., two of 68 H. and 26 of 70 H., i.e., 686–690 A.D. This hoard also was found in the center test, in the north-east quarter of the 20 × 20 meter square. The coins, partly stuck together and partly loose, were recovered from a pit, 9.27 meters below its mouth, which in turn was 2.35 meters below the surface.

End Notes

3	Published in Miles, A brief Report.
4	Cf. Schmidt, The Treasury of Persepolis , p. 108, and Miles, A brief Report, p. 492.
5	Cf. Schmidt, The Treasury of Persepolis , p. 107; Miles, A brief Report, p. 492.
6	1,053 were reported in Miles, A brief Report, but two pieces were later rejected as not being coins.
7	Miles, A brief Report, p. 491.
8	Cf. Schmidt, The Treasury of Persepolis , p. 108. A few ten-meter squares adjoining the test trenches, which were partially excavated, are not indicated on this plan.
9	Miles, A brief Report, p. 492.
10	It will be noted that the highest number in the catalogue is 1046; the discrepancy is accounted for by the fact that there are five lettered subnumbers in the catalogue: 602a and 849a, b, c and d. Thus 1046 + 5 = 1051. There are some differences of categorization and sub-totals between the present definitive listing and the summary table presented in A brief Report, pp. 492–493; these relatively insignificant changes are the result of closer study and reorganization of the material.
11	Miles, A brief Report, p. 493. One should be cautious, however, in applying these generalizations too widely. At Jericho practically all the excavated Islamic coins were Umayyad (G. C. Miles, "Catalogue of Islamic Coins, The Excavations at Herodian Jericho, 1951," in The Annual of the American Schools of Oriental Research, XXXII–XXXIII, for 1952–4, pp. 29–41); and at Tarsus the majority of the Islamic bronzes were of the 3rd century H. (G. C. Miles, "Islamic Coins from the Tarsus Excavations of 1935–1937," in The Aegean and the Near East, Studies Presented to Hetty Goldman on the Occasion of her Seventy-Fifth Birthday, Locust Valley, 1956, pp. 297–312.
12	Cf. A brief Report, pp. 495–496, written before I had discovered the identity of this designation.
13	In view of the number of hitherto unknown types among these coins one wonders how much more interesting and valuable numismatic material of local origin may lie beneath the ground on the sites of many other abandoned and unexcavated Sasanian and early Arab towns in Iran. Cf. Walker, Coins from Susa .
14	See Walker, NC 1952, p. 108, and Miles, Kirmān . See also André Grabar, L'Iconoclasme byzantin (Paris, 1957), pp. 67–74, for the most recent and thorough discussion of the Arab coinage reform, particularly in its relationship to the innovations of Justinian II.

Persepolis Terrace

The few post-classical coins found on the Persepolis terrace and nearby (pp. 85–90), range in date from Sasanian to the 19th century and have no archaeological relevance. The five coins from the PT–3 excavations (1935 season) are of the Mongol and Muẓaffarid periods (14th century) and later, and all came from the partial excavation of the large cistern on the slopes of the Kūh-i Raḥmat just east of the Treasury.15 The ten coins recovered in the 1937 excavations (PT–5) were stray finds in the debris north of the Apadana.16 The dates range from Sasanian to autonomous Persian of the 18th or 19th century. Finally four coins (three 'Abbāsid and one Mongol) were picked up at various points on the surface or among refuse during the final season of 1939 (PT–7).

Naqsh-i Rustam

During two seasons' work (1936 and 1938–1939) at the foot of the cliffs of Naqsh-i Rustam 73 coins were recovered, chronologically distributed as follows:

Persis	1
Sasanian	28
Arab-Sasanian	27
Post-reform Umayyad	3
'Abbāsid	8
Ilkhānid	1
Ilkhānid or successor	1
Muẓaffarid	2
Unidentifiable Islamic	2
	73

Of particular interest was a hoard of 36 Sasanian and Arab-Sasanian dirhems,17 unearthed on the floor of what appears to have been a rather extensive building of the early Islamic period, about one meter below the surface in front of the rock tomb of Darius I (see Plate XXI). No container was preserved. The hoard consisted of 12 Sasanian and 24 Arab-Sasanian coins. Of the Sasanian two were of Hormizd IV (catalogue nos. 4 and 5), the earlier of which is dated 583 A.D.,18 and ten of Khosrau II, ranging in date from 596 to 626 A.D. (nos. 4–9, 11–14, 16–17). Several governors are represented among the Arab-Sasanian specimens: one anonymous of the year 651/2 (no. 30), one of Ziyād b. abi-Sufyān of 672/3 (no. 33), one of 'Ubaydullāh b. Ziyād of 681/2 (no. 34), two of 'Abdullāh b. Zubayr of the years 685/6 and 688/9 (nos. 31–32), 16 of 'Umar b. 'Ubaydullāh of the years 686–690 (nos. 35–50), two of 'Aṭīyah b. al-Aswad of 692/3 and 693/4 (nos. 51–52), and one of Qaṭari b. al-Fujā'ah of 694/5 (no. 53). The Arab-Sasanian dates range therefore from 651–695, with the heaviest concentration between 685 and 690; and the over-all dates of the hoard are 583–695. It is interesting, but not surprising, to note that Sasanian dirhems, not counterstamped, appear to have circulated along with the Arab-Sasanian. In general appearance, of course, these coins are very similar and only the literate could have distinguished between a dirhem of Khosrau II and one of an Arab governor.

The distribution of mints in the hoard is of some interest. The coins of Hormizd IV and Khosrau II were struck at seven mints: Nihāvand (4), Rayy (2), Merv (2), Nahr-Tirâ, Darabjird, Shīrajān (?) and Zaranj (1 each). Thus six different provinces are represented: Khurāsān, Sīstān, Kirmān, Fārs, Jibāl and Khūzistān (from east to west). The mints represented in the Arab-Sasanian portion of the hoard are the same in number but are geographically more concentrated: Bishāpūr (14), Kirmān (3), Darabjird (2), an uncertain mint VIŠP etc. (2), Nahr-Tīrâ, Ardashīr-Khurrah, Baṣrah (1 each). The majority, therefore, are from the province of Fārs (17 specimens at least, or 19, if, as is probable, the uncertain mint is located in that province), and the rest from the neighboring provinces of Kirmān, Khūzistān and 'Irāq.

Two unique and very interesting Arab-Sasanian bronzes (nos. 54 and 55) also came from the Naqsh-i Rustam excavations: a hybrid Byzantine Arab-Sasanian piece with a facing bearded head surmounted by a cross on the obverse and an M reverse accompanied by legible Pahlevi inscriptions (the name of Iṣṭakhr written out almost in full, and the word apastān); and an equally remarkable coin with a new type of bust combined with Kufic legends of post-reform type.

While the Sasanian, Umayyad and early 'Abbāsid coins from Naqsh-i Rustam are perhaps to be associated with settlements there, the post-'Abbāsid specimens, like all the Islamic coins from the Persepolis Terrace, have no real archaeological significance and are simply evidence of the visits of "tourists" throughout the ages at this spectacular site.

It will be noted that the catalogue is in three parts: Iṣṭakhr, pp. 19–84, Persepolis Terrace, pp. 85–90, Naqsh-i Rustam, pp. 91–107. In each section the arrangement is basically chronological, with sub-divisions, where appropriate, according to mints. For the convenience of the excavator and archaeologist whose interest is primarily in the provenience of each coin as evidence for the dating of levels or of objects, an Inventory of Field Catalogue numbers, in numerical order, is appended at the end of the numismatic catalogue (pp. 108–115). Opposite each field number is the catalogue number under which that coin is described. In numerous instances there is more than one specimen of a given type (e.g., nos. 344–363 are all specimens of a single issue of Iṣṭakhr, 140 H.); only the initial catalogue number of this series (344) is listed in this concordance.

Following each description in the numismatic catalogue are the field numbers of the relevant coins (I–1 = Iṣṭakhr, 1935; I–2 = Iṣṭakhr, 1937; PT–3, PT–5, PT–7 = Persepolis Terrace, 1935, 1937 and 1939, respectively; NR–1, NR–2 = Naqsh-i Rustam, 1936 and 1938–1939, respectively). This number is followed by the abbreviation for the metal, the diameter in millimeters, and the weight in grams. In many cases the weight was not recorded in the field, or even if recorded, is omitted here because of the fragmentary state of preservation. Frequently only a small fraction of the legends is preserved but it has been possible to assign the coin to a given issue because one or more particular characteristics are present. In some cases where there are only two or three specimens of a hitherto unpublished issue the transcription of the legends is composite: that is, the inscriptions have been reconstructed by piecing together complementary bits from each specimen.

The coins from the 1935 and 1936 excavations were originally catalogued at Persepolis by the writer. Those from the subsequent years were preliminarily recorded by Wilhelm Eilers. Approximately half of the coins are now the property of the Oriental Institute, the others of the Iranian Government, stored in the Archaeological Museum in Teheran. The writer's work was facilitated by the temporary deposit of all the former at the Museum of the American Numismatic Society and by photographs, taken in the field, of a large percentage of the coins now in the possession of the Iranian Government. A few of the latter, however, from the Iṣṭakhr excavations, were neither photographed nor described on field inventory cards because of their generally hopeless condition, and these are included statistically in the "unidentifiable" category (nos. 866–1046).

It remains only for me to thank Dr. Schmidt, under whom I worked for three happy years at Rayy and in Luristan in 1934–1936, for giving me the opportunity to study this interesting body of material and for waiting so patiently all these years for its publication.

New York City

July 1958

End Notes

15	See Schmidt, Persepolis I, p. 212; and cf. Schmidt, The Treasury of Persepolis , pp. 88–89.
16	Schmidt, Persepolis I, pp. 4, 70–72.
17	Cf. Schmidt, The Treasury of Persepolis , p. 98, and G. C. Miles, "King of Kings to Counter-Caliph," in Archaeology, 1948, pp. 126–128.
18	The dates of the Sasanian coins of course are in regnal years, those of the Arab-Sasanian either in the Yezdigird or Hijrah eras, but in this summary all are reduced to the Christian calendar.

End Notes

1	Cf. Schmidt, Persepolis , and Schmidt, The Treasury of Persepolis.
2	Published in Schmidt, Persepolis II, pp. 110–114; and cf. Schmidt, The Treasury of Persepolis , pp. 76–78.

KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS

Allotte de la Fuÿe—F.-M. Allotte de la Fuÿe, "Inventaire des monnaies trouvées à Suse pendant la campagne de fouilles 1925 to 1926," etc., in Mémoires de la Mission Archéologique de Perse, XX (1928).

Antioch—G. C. Miles, "Islamic Coins," in Antioch-on-the-Orontes, IV, Part One, pp. 109 ff. (Princeton, 1948).

Ars Islamica—Ars Islamica, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1934–1951.

Ars Orientalis—Ars Orientalis, Washington, D.C. and Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1954–.

Balādhuri—Aḥmad b. Yaḥyâ al-Balādhuri, Futūḥ al-Buldān (ed. de Goeje, Leyden, 1866).

Berlin—H. Nützel, Königliche Museen zu Berlin, Katalog der orientalischen Münze, I, Die Münzen der östlichen Chalifen (Berlin, 1898).

B.M. i–x—S. Lane-Poole, Catalogue of Oriental Coins in the British Museum, Vols. i–x (London, 1875–1890).

B.M. Arab-Byzantine—John Walker, A Catalogue of the Arab-Byzantine and Post-Reform Umaiyad Coins (A Catalogue of the Muḥammadan Coins in the British Museum, Vol. II), London, 1956.

B.M. Arab-Sasanian—John Walker, A Catalogue of the Arab-Sassanian Coins (ibid., Vol. I), London, 1941.

B.M. Arabia etc.—G. F. Hill, Catalogue of the Greek Coins of Arabia, Mesopotamia and Persia (Catalogue of the Greek Coins in the British Museum), London, 1922.

B.M. Shāhs of Persia—R. S. Poole, Catalogue of the Coins of the Sháhs of Persia in the British Museum (London, 1887).

EI—Encyclopaedia of Islām (1st ed. 1913–1938; 2nd ed. beginning 1954).

Fārsnāma—The Fārsnāma of Ibnu'l-Balkhí, ed. G. le Strange and R. A. Nicholson, E. J. W. Gibb Memorial Series, New Series, I (London, 1921).

Göbl—Robert Göbl, "Aufbau der Münzprägung," in F. Altheim und Ruth Stiehl, Ein Asiatischer Staat (Wiesbaden, 1954), pp. 51 ff.

Ḥudūd al-'Ālam—Ḥudūd al-'Ālam, 'The Regions of the World,' A Persian Geography, 372 A.H.–982 A.D., transl. V. Minorsky, E. J. W. Gibb Memorial Series, New Series, XI (London, 1937).

Le Strange—G. le Strange, The Lands of the Eastern Caliphate (Cambridge, 1930).

Miles, A brief Report—G. C. Miles, "A brief Report on the Coins found in the Excavations at Iṣṭakhr, 1935 and 1937," in Actes, Congrès International de Numismatique, Paris, 6–11 Juillet 1953 (Paris, 1957), pp. 491–496.

Miles, Kirmān—G. C. Miles, "Some new Light on the History of Kirmān in the First Century of the Hijrah," in press.

Miles, Miḥrāb and 'Anazah—G. C. Miles, "Miḥrāb and 'Anazah: A Study in early Islamic Iconography," in Archaeologica Orientalia in Memoriam Ernst Herzfeld (Locust Valley, N.Y., 1952), pp. 156–171.

Miles, Museum Notes VII—G. C. Miles, "Some Arab-Sasanian and related Coins," in Museum Notes (American Numismatic Society) VII (N.Y., 1957), pp. 187–209.

de Morgan—J. de Morgan, Numismatique de la Perse Antique (E. Babelon, Traité des monnaies grecques et romaines, III, Monnaies orientales, Tome I), Paris, 1933.

de Morgan, Manuel—J. de Morgan, Manuel de Numismatique orientale (ed. K. J. Basmadjian), I (Paris, 1923–1936).

NC—Numismatic Chronicle (London).

NHR—G. C. Miles, The Numismatic History of Rayy (American Numismatic Society Numismatic Studies No. 2), New York, 1938.

Paris—H. Lavoix, Catalogue des monnaies musulmanes de la Bibliothèque Nationale, I, Khalifes orientaux (Paris, 1887).

Paruck—F. D. J. Paruck, Sāsānian Coins (Bombay, 1924).

RIC—G. C. Miles, Rare Islamic Coins (American Numismatic Society Numismatic Notes and Monographs, No. 118), New York, 1950.

RN—Revue Numismatique (Paris).

Schmidt, The Treasury of Persepolis—Erich F. Schmidt, The Treasury of Persepolis and other Discoveries in the Homeland of the Achaemenians (Oriental Institute Communications, No. 21, Chicago, 1939).

Schmidt, Persepolis—Erich F. Schmidt, Persepolis I, Structures, Reliefs, Inscriptions (Oriental Institute Publications, Vol. LXVIII, Chicago, 1953); Persepolis II, Contents of the Treasury and other Discoveries (Or. Inst. Publs., Vol. LXIX, Chicago, 1957).

Ṭabari—Al-Ṭabari, Ta'rīkh al-rusul wa-al-mulūk (ed. de Goeje et al.), Leyden, 1879–1901.

Tiesenhausen—W. Tiesenhausen, Moneti vostochnavo khalifata, St. Petersbourg, 1873.

Unvala, NC 1937—J. M. Unvala, "Quelques monnaies arabes à légendes pehlevies et quelques autres monnaies bilingues pehlevie-arabes," in NC 1937, pp. 280–296.

Walker, Bishāpūr—J. Walker, "Monnaies sassanides et arabes provenant des fouilles de Bîchâpour," in Musée du Louvre, Département des Antiquités Orientales, Série Archéologique, Tome VII, Fouilles de Châpour, Vol. II, R. Ghirshman, Les Mosaïques Sassanides (Paris, 1956).

Walker, Coins from Susa—J. Walker, "Some early Arab and Byzantine-Sasanian Coins from Susa," in Archaeologica Orientalia in Memoriam Ernst Herzfeld (Locust Valley, N.Y., 1952), pp. 235–243.

Walker, NC 1952—J. Walker, "Some new Arab-Sassanian Coins," in NC 1952, pp. 106–110.

Welin, Wāsiṭ—Ulla S. Linder Welin, "Wāsiṭ, the Mint-Town," in Bulletin de la Société Royale des Lettres de Lund, 1955–1956, IV, pp. 127–169.

Yāqūt—Mu'jam al-Buldān (ed. Wüstenfeld), Leipzig, 1866–1870.

Zambaur—E. de Zambaur, Manuel de Généalogie et de Chronologie pour l'Histoire de l'Islam (Hannover, 1927).

BODY

IṢṬAKHR EXCAVATIONS

I. MACEDONIA—ALEXANDER THE GREAT (POSTHUMOUS)

1. Alexander III. Ca. 310–300 B.C. Susa. Bronze.

Head of Herakles, r., wearing elephant skin.

Nike standing, holding wreath. At l., head of horned horse; at r.,

AΛ;EΞANΔPOY

I–2–1564 Æ 17, 6.13.

Plate I

Cf. Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, The Royal Collection of Coins and Medals, Danish National Museum, Macedonia, Part II (Copenhagen, 1943), no. 1065. For the horned horse symbol see E. T. Newell, The Coinage of the Eastern Seleucid Mints (ANS Numismatic Studies, No. 1, New York, 1938), pl. XXII.

II. PERSIS

Of the 15 coins of Persis ten (nos. 3–12) were found in one spot, GI 09, and form a definitely related group. The others were scattered finds. The chronological arrangement below is based largely on G. F. Hill's attributions in B. M. Arabia etc. Hill's preface, pp. clx–clxxxii, summarizes all the earlier literature and especially Col. Allotte de la Fuÿe's important article in Corolla Numismatica, pp. 63–97. References also are made to de Morgan and to de Morgan, Manuel. G. F. Hill's The Coinage of the Ancient Persians in Survey of Persian Art (1938), I, pp. 402–403, IV, pl. 126, is brief and does not illustrate or discuss specifically the types represented here.

2. Pakur, son of Oxathres? Ca. 1st c. A.D. Obol.

Bust of king, 1., bearded; thick back hair; wearing diadem, torque and robe.

Triskeles. Around, illegible inscription.

I–1–894 11, 0.35.

Plate I

Cf. B. M. Arabia etc., p. 229, no. 3, pl. XXXV, 3; de Morgan, p. 410, nos. 47, 48, pl. XXXII, 7, 8.

This coin belongs to Hill's Fourth Series, which he dates from the 1st century after Christ to about 224 A.D.; Oxathres is assigned by him to the 1st c. B.C. De Morgan (Manuel, p. 271) places Piruz I (= Pakur?) immediately after Oxathres (perhaps Gocithres of Isidore of Charax), and he dates the latter ca. 57–38 B.C.

3. Pakur? Ca. 1st c. A.D. Drachm.

Bust of king, 1., bearded; thick back hair; wearing diadem, torque and robe with fringe of vertical stripes. Behind head, legend:

As obverse, but legend, if any, effaced.

I–1–911a 25, 3.85.

Plate I

This type (and cf. nos. 4–14, below) appears to be unpublished. The closest parallel perhaps is B. M. Arabia etc., p. 229, no. 4, pl. XLVIII, 17. Cf. also de Morgan, pp. 410 to 411, nos. 49–50, pl. XXXII, 9–12, assigned to Piruz II, the second ruler after Oxathres (de Morgan, Manuel, p. 271). The inscription is undeciphered.

4-7. Pakur? Ca. 1st c. A.D. Hemidrachm.

Similar in style to no. 3, but of crude fabric, slightly scyphate, details obscure. No recognizable legends, except possible traces on no. 5.

I–1–911b, c, d, e 22, 21, 21, 23; 1.60, 1.00, 1.60, 1.25.

Plate I

Cf. no. 3, above, and B. M. Arabia etc., p. 230, nos. 7–9, pl. XXXV, 5–6.

8-12. Pakur? Ca. 1st c. A.D. Obol.

Similar in style to nos. 4–7. No legends remain.

I–1–911f, g, h, i, j 14, 14, 13, 14; 0.40, 0.50, 0.45, 0.70 (j is a small fragment).

Plate I

Cf. nos. 3–7, above, and B. M. Arabia etc., p. 230, nos. 10–11, pl. XXXV, 7–8.

13. Pakur? Ca. 1st c. A.D. Drachm.

In general similar to nos. 3–12, but of somewhat superior fabric and evidently a different issue. On both obverse and reverse, behind the head, traces of legend. In front of chin, both obverse and reverse, letter Δ or A. Note fringe of robe, similar to no. 3.

I–1–914 19, 3.25.

Plate I

14. Kapat or Napat? Ca. late 1st c. A.D. Obol.

Bust of king, l., bearded; wearing tiara with neck piece.

Crude bust, l., bearded; wearing diadem. Around, traces of legend or simulated legend.

I–2–1528 8.5, 0.38.

Plate I

Cf. B. M. Arabia etc., pp. 233–234, nos. 12–20 (hemidrachms), pl. XXXV, 20–25, and pl. XXXVI, 1–2 (obverse of the hemi-obol, p. 234, no. 21, pl. XXXVI, 3, is different); cf. also de Morgan, p. 412, pl. XXXIII, 1–13 (Napat, or de Morgan, Manuel, 4th king after Oxathres).

15. Uncertain. 1st or 2nd c. A.D. Hemidrachm?

Bust of king, l., with short beard; wearing tiara with 3 rows of pellets and symbol ; diadem, torque and robe; behind head, triskeles.

"Formal representation of a double diadem with ties" (B.M.); around, bottoms of letters of legend(?).

I–1–907 13, 1.20.

Plate I

Cf. B. M. Arabia etc., pp. 237–238, nos. 3–15, pl. XXXVI, 14–19, pl. XLVIII, 15; de Morgan, pp. 413–414, pl. XXXII, 22–26; de Morgan, Manuel, p. 284. These coins, related to the Kapat series, are attributed by de Morgan to "Prince Y," some time between ca. 38 B.C. and 200 A.D. De Morgan describes the reverse type as "figuration barbare du pyrée (?)."

16. Artaxerxes V of Persis = the Sasanian Artaxerxes I? Ca. 210–226 A.D.? Bronze.

Effaced.

Simple fire-altar with 2 steps, column, broad circular or rectangular basin, and flames. At r. and l., T-shaped stools or supports. Border of dots.

I–1–897 Æ 17, 2.00.

Plate I

Cf. de Morgan, pp. 418–419, pl. XXXIV, 24?; de Morgan, Manuel, p. 288, fig. 372.

III. ELYMAIS

17. Phraates, son of Orodes. Early 2nd c. A.D. Bronze. Obscure and largely effaced.

I–2–1894 Æ 14.

Cf. B. M. Arabia etc., type Ac, 2, p. 278, nos. 58ff., pl. XLI, 26.

18-19. Obscure and largely effaced bronze, possibly Elymais; no. 19 has facing bust.

I–2–1788a Æ 14.

1974a Æ 14, 2.16.

Plate I

IV. SASANIAN

20. Bahram III. Ca. 293 A.D. Dirhem.

Bust of king, r., wearing moustache, curly beard, hair in flowing curls; crown surmounted by globe (countermarked with monogram?); diadem, earring and necklace. Border of dots. Around (beginning at 11:30 o'clock and running counter-clockwise):

Flaming altar with 3 plinths; ribbon, r. and l.; figure at either side facing altar, the one on l. wearing globe and holding sword(?), the one on r. wearing mural crown and holding staff. Legends: at r. , at l. Border of dots.

I–2–1549 26.

Plate I

It has been customary of late to follow Vasmer and Herzfeld 19 in attributing the rare coins with crowns of this type to Narseh (first type) and to accept the argument that Bahram III struck no coins at all. A recent publication, however,20 persuades me that the older attribution probably is correct, and I have therefore assigned the present specimen to Bahram III. One distinctive feature here is to be noticed: the streamers usually present at the base of the globe surmounting the crown21 are definitely lacking.

21. Khosrau I. Year 27 or 28 = 558 or 559 A.D. Nihāvand. Dirhem.

Usual type. Mint signature:

I–1–105 29 (fragmentary).

Plate I

22. Khosrau II. 590–628 A.D. Ardashīr-Khurrah. Bronze.

Usual type of Khosrau II's silver, but in bronze. Reverse, at r.:

I–1–243b Æ 16.

23. Khosrau II. Ardashīr-Khurrah. Bronze.

Resembles no. 22, but reverse, at r.:

I–1–339 Æ 17.

Plate II

24-28. Khosrau II. Mints and dates, if any, not preserved. Bronze.

Obscure coins with portrait resemblance and fragments of name legend.

I–1–325, 370, 635, 882, 918 (11–18mm.).

29. Khosrau II (probably). Iṣṭakhr. Bronze.

Obscure and crude obverse and reverse resembling Khosrau II type. Reverse, at r., . Obverse and reverse enclosed by double or triple beaded borders.

I–1–220 Æ 17.

30. Khosrau II (probably). Iṣṭakhr (?). Bronze.

Similar to no. 29, but mint signature obscure.

I–1–941 Æ 15.

Plate II

31-87. Unidentifiable Sasanian bronzes. 6th-early 7th c.

57 obscure and largely effaced coins, mostly not exceeding 17mm. in diameter.

See the Inventory for the field numbers of these coins.

End Notes

19	R. Vasmer, "Sassanian Coins in the Hermitage," NC 1928, pp. 297–308; Ernst Herzfeld, Archaeologische Mitteilungen aus Iran , IX, 2 (1938), p. 112; idem, Kushano-Sasanian Coins (Calcutta, 1930), p. 7; cf. K. Erdmann, "Die Entwicklung der Sāsānidischen Krone," Ars Islamica XV–XVI (1951), p. 98; Göbl, pp. 105–106. Paruck objected to this view (RN 1930, pp. 1–6), and so also evidently R. Ghirshman in a private communication to Göbl (op. cit., p. 106).
20	Samuel Eilenberg, "A Sasanian silver Medallion of Varhrān III," Ars Orientalis II (1957), pp. 487–488.
21	Cf. Paruck, pl. VIII, 161–164. Two specimens in Bartholomaei's collection (ibid., pl. V, 2 and 4) appear to lack these streamers, but one cannot tell whether they are actually lacking or whether the specimens were worn at this point and not visible to the plate engraver.

V. SASANIAN OR ARAB-SASANIAN

88-101. Unidentifiable Sasanian or Arab-Sasanian bronzes. 6th–7th c.

14 obscure and largely effaced coins showing traces of usual late Sasanian types; some with possible mint signature, one (I–2–1785d) with possible (Bishāpūr) mint signature. Diameters: 16–22mm.

See the Inventory for the field numbers of these coins.

VI. ARAB-SASANIAN

A. SILVER
a) 'Umar b. 'Ubaydullāh
1. Ardashīr-Khurrah

102. 'Umar b. 'Ubaydullāh. 68 H. = 687/8 A.D. TART = Ardashīr-Khurrah. Dirhem.

Usual bust. At r., name: Star l. and r. of crown. In margin: لله الحمد

Usual fire-altar and attendants; star l., crescent r. At r., mint signature: . At l., date:

I–2–1732 31 (two sectors lacking).

Plate II

Unpublished, but cf. B. M. Arab-Sasanian , pp. 98–99, Ardashīr-Khurrah (normal spelling ART), 68, 69 and 70 H. Walker (B. M. Arab-Sasanian , p. cxxx) suggests that TART is the same as ART, "with an added prefix of uncertain value." The provenance of the present specimen is a small piece of evidence in support of this reasonable attribution. To Walker's list of individuals issuing coins at this mint should now be added Qaṭari b. al-Fujā'ah (Miles, Museum Notes VII, p. 203, no. 42) and 'Umar b. 'Ubaydullāh. For some comment on the town of Ardashīr-Khurrah, see nos. 317–318, below.

2. Bishāpūr

103-107. 22 The same. 67 H. = 686/7 A.D. BIŠ = Bishāpūr. Dirhem.

Similar to B. M. Arab-Sasanian , p. 99, no. 194, but without countermarks and لله correct. Mint signature is Walker's no. 12b (which also B. M. no. 194 has, although the catalogue gives no. 12). Star l., crescent r. of flames.

I–1–928/1 31, 3.54.

Plate II

928/2 32, 3.47 (frg. lacking).

928/3 32, 3.27 (frg. lacking).

928/4 31, 3.50.

928/5 31, 2.20 (frgs. lacking).

108-108a. The same. 68 H. = 687/8 A.D. BIŠ = Bishāpūr. Dirhem.

Similar to B. M. Arab-Sasanian , p. 99, no. 195, but mint signature is no. 12b.

I–1–928/6 31, 3.38.

Plate II

928/7 33, 3.49.

Plate II

109-134. The same. 70 H. = 689/90 A.D. BIŠ = Bishāpūr. Dirhem.

Similar to B. M. Arab-Sasanian , p. 100, no. 198, but without countermarks. Mint signature no. 12b. Star l., crescent r. of flames.

I–1–928/8 31, 3.62.

Plate II

928/9 31, 3.50 (frg. lacking).

928/10 32, 2.28 (large frg. lacking).

928/11 30, 3.24 (frgs. lacking).

928/12 30, 3.32.

928/13 31, 3.80.

928/14 31, 3.40.

Plate II

I–1–928/15 31, 3.67.

Plate III

928/16 31, 3.61.

928/17 32, 3.18.

928/18 31, 3.59.

928/19 32, 3.27 (large frg. lacking).

928/20 31, 2.68 (frg. lacking).

928/21 30, 3.16 (frgs. lacking).

928/22 31, 3.30 (frgs. lacking).

928/23 32, 3.35 (frgs. lacking).

928/24 30, 2.27 (frg. lacking).

928/25 31, 3.02 (frg. lacking).

928/26 31, 3.41.

928/27 31, 3.35 (frg. lacking).

928/28 31, 3.54.

928/29 31, 3.43.

928/30 32, 3.57.

928/31 31, 3.55.

928/32 31, 3.77.

928/33 31, 3.47.

End Notes

22	The find-spot of nos. 103–134 has been described on p. 8.

B. BRONZE
1. Iṣṭakhr

135. 'Abdullāh b. Zubayr? Ca. 63–72 H. = ca. 682–692 A.D. Iṣṭakhr. Bronze.

Bust, r., of Khosrau II type. At r.: Double beaded border. Only 1st quarter of margin preserved.

Usual fire-altar and attendants. At l.: coin lacking. At r.: . Double beaded border. Only 1st quarter of margin preserved.

I–2–1790 Æ 27 (very fragmentary).

Plate III

This coin appears to be an issue in bronze of the dirhem type bearing 'Abdullāh's name accompanied by the Pahlevi equivalent of amīr al-mu'minīn.23

136. 'Ubaydullāh b. Ziyād. 6X H. = 679–687 A.D. Iṣṭakhr. Bronze.

Similar to the dirhems of this governor. Date:

I–2–1653 Æ 22.

Plate III

The British Museum has a bronze of 'Ubaydullāh b. Ziyād, also struck at Iṣṭakhr, date 59 H. (?).24 The flan of the latter specimen is somewhat larger, but the dies are of the same size as those with which the present coin was struck.

137. Al-Muhallab b. abi-Ṣufrah (?). Ca. 75–78 H. (?) = ca. 694–697 A.D. (?). Iṣṭakhr. Bronze.

Bust, r., somewhat resembling that of Khosrau II. At l.: . At r.: MUHLUP (Muhallab?). Beaded border, interrupted by winged headdress. In margin: at bottom and left (?). Traces of legend in 1st and 2nd quarters.

The space in the center may be occupied by a second line of inscription, or perhaps the coin should be turned 90 degrees and the center taken as an altar, without attendants.

I–2–1727 Æ 20.

Plate III

The attribution is uncertain, but the name almost certainly is MUHLU (or A) P. Cf. the dirhems of al-Muhallab b. abi-Ṣufrah in B. M. Arab-Sasanian , pp. 113–116.

138-141. Al-Muhallab b. abi-Ṣufrah (?). Ca. 75–78 H. (?) = ca. 694–697 A.D. (?). Iṣṭakhr. Bronze.

Facing bust, bearded, robed, wearing kūfiyah. At l.: ? At r.: MUHALIP (- I). Beaded border.

Facing bust, wearing radiant or flaming headdress; ribbons, upward, at either side. At l.: (?) (AFZUT?); at r.: (ST). Beaded border.

I–1–149 Æ 16.

Plate III

885 Æ 17 (rev. effaced).

Plate III

I–2–1728 Æ 15.

Plate III

1735 Æ 17.

The best preserved obverse is I–2–1728; the reverse bust and especially the mint signature are well preserved on I–1–149; the obverse of I–1–885 is almost totally effaced.

These extraordinary coins are unpublished, but there is a certain amount of related or comparative material that it would be well to assemble here. The obverse bust bears a close resemblance to the head of the sword-girt Caliph on Arab-Byzantine coins.25 Admittedly the hair here appears to be uncovered, but doubtless, as with the Arab-Byzantine coins, the kūfiyah is intended.26 ybrid Arab-Byzantine-Sasanian coins are not unknown (see the publications of Unvala,27 Walker,28 and cf. no. 143, below), but this appears to be the first occurrence of a bust of this type.

As for the reverse, there can be no doubt that this bust is derived from that on certain coins of Khosrau II, the bust with the flaming nimbus which Herzfeld identified as that of the Xvarāsān Xvarrah (Khurāsān Khurrah), "gloria orientis,"29 and which also occurs on certain Hephthalite and related coins.30 A similar bust appears on some small bronze coins found in the French excavations at Shāpūr, which Ghirshman has attributed to Khosrau II, allegedly bearing the dates 16, 20 and 34.31 The obverse of these coins bears a bust with what appears to be a semi-conventional Sasanian headdress, but I should imagine that it is not out of the question that a close examination of better preserved specimens of this type might reveal some characteristics sug- gesting a post-Sasanian attribution. In any case it is interesting to note that there is at least a precedent, if not a parallel, for the use of the reverse bust with the flaming nimbus on small bronze coins found not far from Iṣṭakhr and undoubtedly of local origin. From the same site comes another remarkably interesting bronze,32 which Ghirshman attributes to Ziyād b. abi-Sufyān, bearing on the obverse a bust of Sasanian type but with a peculiar and distinctive headdress, and on the reverse a facing bust, "coiffée d'une haute tiare." The name Ziyād appears in Pahlevi on the obverse, and Ghirshman's supposition that this is Ziyād b. abi-Sufyān is doubtless correct. On the reverse there are two legends, which Ghirshman reads šaš panča (56) and "Bassorah?." In the plate I believe I can see SIHPNJA (53); but the mint signature I cannot read, unless perhaps it is BIŠ for Bishāpūr, which, in view of the fact that the coin is bronze and therefore in all probability of local origin, would be more likely than Baṣrah. If the date is indeed 53, it would well suit Ziyād, who struck dirhems at Bishāpūr in 50, 51, 52, 53 and 54.33 But irrespective of the legends the chief point of interest is the curious facing bust of the reverse which, as Ghirshman points out, doubtless derives from the type of the divinity with the flaming nimbus. Also probably of the same derivation are nos. 160–161, below.

One other bronze issue undoubtedly struck in Fārs and exhibiting an obverse certainly related to the reverse of the coins under discussion should be mentioned in this connection. Herzfeld 34 writes: "In Alt-Shīrāz sind kleine kupferne obolen gefunden, aus der Zeit Khusraus II oder seiner nachfolger, wo auf der Vs. ein roh gezeichneter männlicher kopf mit dem wie gesträubte haare aussehenden flammennimbus des feuergottes erscheint, mit beischrift Dārāb oder Dārāy, bei keiner geschichtlichen figur der zeit bekannter name; auf der Rs. ein menschenköpfiger buckelochse mit der krone Khusraus II, in ihrer letzten form, und beischrift āžāδ-bušaspān oder -būsaspān, der mittelpers. form des medischen gušnasp, gušasp, also wahrscheinlich ein satrapenname: Dārāb S. d. Āzādhbushasp, während die bilder den Feuergott Ādhur und das Gushnasp-feuer allegorisieren." I have seen photographs of the reverse of these coins, but not of the obverse. There is, of course, no evidence that this issue is to be dated after the Arab conquest, but at least we have here another example of the divinity with flaming headdress in south-west Persia.

142. 'Abd al-Raḥmān b. Muḥammad b. al-Ash'ath(?). Ca. 80–85 H. = ca. 699–704 A.D. Iṣṭakhr. Bronze.

Bust, r., resembling that of Khosrau II. At l., downward, in Kufic: [العز[ة لله At r., downward, in Kufic: منصور. Beaded border, interrupted by headdress.

Beaded border.

I–1–927 Æ 21.

Plate III

Similar to Allotte de la Fuÿe, p. 75, fig. 5 = Unvala, NC 1937, p. 294, no. 29 = B. M. Arab-Sasanian , p. 173. Unvala read "......dāt-pēroč i mansūr (?)," suggesting the name of a governor with that of his father and grandfather. The present specimen adds for the first line and the mint name for the last; it confirms Manṣūr for the 4th, and suggests AUMR... for the 2nd. Unvala's "Dātpērōč, son of Manṣūr," certainly does not seem very likely.

It would appear to me that there is little doubt that this interesting coin is related to dirhems of 'Abd al-Raḥmān b. Muḥammad struck at Bishāpūr in 81 H.,35 where the word manṣūr occurs both in Pahlevi and Kufic as it does here. I have therefore tentatively assigned the coin to this famous revolutionary. For other issues of his, see B. M. Arab-Sasanian , p. 117, nos. I.50 and Mar. 3.

143. 'Abd al-Raḥman b. Muḥammad b. al-Ash'ath(?). Ca. 80–85 H. = ca. 699–704 A.D. Iṣṭakhr. Bronze.

Bust, r., resembling that of Khosrau II. Legends at l. largely obliterated, probably (GDH). At r., downward, in Pahlevi: ... Margin: effaced except at l. Dotted border, interrupted by winged head-dress.

Standing figure of Caliph, hands upraised in prayer. Sword in sheath diagonally across body, with handle at the figure's right. Hair arranged in curled locks at either side of head. At l., downward, in Pahlevi: . At r., downward, in Pahlevi: . Wide margin, blank. Figure and legends enclosed by dotted circle.

I–1–143 Æ 23, 3.58.

Plate III

Unfortunately the name on the obverse of this unpublished coin is incompletely preserved, but I propose to read it as MNSU [R]; therefore relating it to no. 142 and again suggesting Ibn al-Ash'ath as the issuer. The reverse is extraordinary but not without parallel: the standing figure of the Caliph "orans," in inspiration a Byzantine type, occurs on several Arab-Sasanian coins. In bronze we have a specimen struck at Susa (Shūsh), with a Pahlevi inscription on the obverse and a purely Arabic epigraphical reverse, which Unvala read, probably correctly, as بسم لله | سنة اربع|و ثمنين (i.e., 84 H.).36 In silver there are several specimens of Bishr b. Marwān with three standing figures on the reverse, the central one facing and with hands upraised.37 It is remarkable, however, that on neither of these types is the Caliph sword-girt as he is here: in the present specimen there is a closer affinity with the common standing Caliph Arab-Byzantine type and with the rare Arab-Sasanian imitations of the year 75 H.38 The headdress, however, is quite distinctive: the top of the head appears to be covered with a cap, while the side hair (or is it a part of the covering?) is arranged in large volutes or buns.

As for the reverse Pahlevi legends, the second letter of the mint signature is unfortunately largely missing where the surface of the coin has flaked off, but enough of it is preserved to indicate that probably without any doubt the letter is a T, and therefore the mint is Iṣṭakhr. The word at the left is identical with the word at the left of the "Pegasus" on a fals of Shūsh,39 which Unvala read farroxvīh, "bonheur, auspiciousness,"40 and is perhaps related to a word which occurs in the margin of several dirhems: 'Ubaydullāh b. Ziyād at Kirmān,41 and with a different ending, al-Muhallab b. abi-Ṣufrah at Ardashīr-Khurrah,42 and al-Ḥajjāj b. Yūsuf at Bishāpūr.43

144. Unidentified governor. Ca. 60–90 H. = ca. 679–709 A.D. Iṣṭakhr. Bronze.

Bust, r., type of Khosrau II. At l.: ? At r.: . Beaded border. In margin preserved at r. In 2nd quarter:بسم الله.

Crude fire-altar and attendants. At l.: ... At r.: ... Beaded border. In margin preserved at bottom.

I–2–1579 Æ 15.

Plate III

The only known governor whose name begins with "T" who struck dirhems of Arab-Sasanian type was Ṭalḥah b. 'Abdullāh; but I cannot recognize this name here.

145. Unidentified governor or anonymous. Ca. 60–90 H. = 679–709 A.D. Iṣṭakhr. Bronze.

Crude bust, r., type of Khosrau II. No legends visible. Border of dots. In margin preserved at r. and below.

Fire-altar with very crudely executed attendants at each side. At l.: . At r.: ∵. Border of dots. In margin: four times. In 1st quarter: possibly for واف.

I–2–1596 Æ 19.

146-147. Unidentified governor or anonymous. Ca. 60–90 H. = ca. 679–709 A.D. Iṣṭakhr. Bronze.

Traces of bust, r. (?). At l.: ? At r.: traces of Pahlevi legend. Single beaded border.

Possible fire-altar and attendants, obliterated by fragmentary state of coin and adhering bit of oxide. Above altar (?): . At l., downward, .. . At r.: STKHR. Single beaded border.

I–1–63a Æ 17.

Plate III

166 Æ 17.

This issue is assigned to the Arab period for two reasons. The cross on the reverse doubtless came into the repertory of Arab-Sasanian coinage through the influence of the Arab-Byzantine. For parallels see Walker, Coins from Susa , and a specimen from Naqsh-i Rustam, no. 54, p. 101, below. The latter coin, as well as the present issue, exhibits another characteristic that indicates a post-conquest dating: the remarkable fact that the mint name is written out in full.

148-149. Anonymous. Ca. 80–100 H. = ca. 699–719 A.D. Iṣṭakhr. Bronze.

Bust, l., resembling that of Khosrau II; crown extends into margin and interrupts border. At l., downward and retrograde, in Pahlevi: (for RVBAK = ravāk, "current"). No legend at r.? Linear border.

لا اله الا

الله وحده

لا شريك له

Beaded border.

I–2–1578 Æ 21.

Plate III

1991 Æ 18.

Plate III

No. 149 shows traces only of the obverse legend, and the mint signature on the reverse is effaced. It will be noted that the entire obverse is retrograde (not only the Pahlevi legend), for the bust faces left, the opposite of the universal Sasanian numismatic custom. For the word ravāk, see NHR, p. 11, and for other occurrences cf. Unvala, NC 1937, passim, and Walker, Coins from Susa , pp. 236, 240 and 241. I have extended the probable terminal date of these issues to 100 H. because of the developed reverse post-reform legends.

150. Anonymous. Ca. 80–110 H. = ca. 699–729 A.D. Iṣṭakhr? Bronze.

Obscure bust? No legend preserved.

لا اله الا

الله وحده لا

..... شريك

.....

I–1–938a Æ 20.

This very badly preserved and obscure coin is attributed to Iṣṭakhr by analogy with no. 148.

End Notes

23	Cf. B. M. Arab-Sasanian , pp. 33 ff. Note that there are Iṣṭakhr dirhems of 63 (?) — there are two probably of this date in the Yale University collection — and 66 H.
24	B. M. Arab-Sasanian , p. 73, no. 108.
25	B. M. Arab-Byzantine>, pp. 22–43, plates VI–VIII. Walker dates those without the Caliph's name or title to ca. 670–685 (50–66 H.), those with titles to ca. 670–690 (50–71 H.), those with 'Abd al-Malik's name to 685 to 705 (65–86 H.).
26	See ibid., pp. xxx, lxx and civ.
27	NC 1937.
28	Walker, Coins from Susa , pp. 238–242; Walker, Bishāpūr , p. 188 (no. XI); B. M. Arab-Sasanian , p. 25; NC 1952, p. 110, no. 4.
29	Ernst Herzfeld, Archaeologische Mitteilungen aus Iran , IX (1938), pp. 147–158; cf. also idem, Iran in the Ancient East (London and New York, 1941), pp. 330–331.
30	The literature on these Sasanian and Hephthalite coins with the goddess of the flaming nimbus is considerable: see especially the references in Herzfeld's article referred to above; J. Walker in NC 1935, pp. 242–245 (wherein most of the earlier literature is cited); R. B. Whitehead, "Multan: the House of Gold," NC 1937, pp. 60–72; R. Ghirshman, Les Chionites-Hephtalites (Paris, 1948), pp. 41–49; cf. J. M. Unvala, "Hepthalite coins with Pahlevi Legends," Journal of the Numismatic Society of India, IV (1942), pp. 37 ff.
31	R. Ghirshman, "Une monnaie de Zyad I. Abu Sofian [sic], Gouverneur du Fars," in Mélanges Syriens offerts à Monsieur René Dussaud, II (Paris, 1939), pp. 697–701, fig. 2. There were apparently four of these coins. On the one illustrated the date is not legible (to me at least). Several corrections should be made in this article: among others, read abi for Abu throughout; on line 2 of p. 698, read abīhi; in footnote 1, p. 699, read 242 for 192.
32	Loc. cit., fig. 1.
33	See B. M. Arab-Sasanian , p. xliv. Ghirshman, op. cit., p. 698, did not have at his command all the data regarding Ziyād's coins and the probable date of his death.
34	Op. cit., p. 147, footnote 2.
35	Miles, Museum Notes VII, nos. 44–45.
36	Cabinet des Médailles; see Unvala, NC 1937, p. 288, no. 10 = B. M. Arab-Byzantine , p. 83, fig. 17. Another specimen is in the Teheran Museum (Walker, Coins from Susa , p. 240, no. 7 = B. M. Arab-Byzantine , p. 83, no. Teh. 4).
37	Walker, NC 1952, pp. 106–107, nos. 1 and 2; Miles, Museum Notes VII, pp. 201–202, no. 40.
38	B. M. Arab-Sasanian , p. 25, and Walker, NC 1952, p. 110, no. 4; cf. Miles, Miḥrāb and 'Anazah , p. 171, pl. XXVIII, no. 5.
39	Unvala, NC 1937, p. 292, no. 21.
40	Cf. H. S. Nyberg, Hilfsbuch des Pehlevi (Uppsala, 1928–1931), I, p. 58, line 5, II, p. 71, frāχuīh, "Gedeihen, Wohlstand, Glück, Segen."
41	B. M. Arab-Sasanian , p. 66, no. 97.
42	Ibid., p. 113, no. ANS. 15, and p. 116, no. ANS. 16.
43	Ibid., p. 119, no. Th. 16.

2. Uncertain Mints

151-152. Uncertain governor. Ca. 60–80 H. = 679–699 A.D. Mint effaced. Bronze.

Similar to the usual Arab-Sasanian dirhems, mint and date effaced. سم الله[,] in obverse margin.

I–1–511 Æ (disintegrated).

909 Æ 27 (fragmentary).

153. Anonymous. Ca. 60–80 H. = 679–699 A.D. Mint effaced. Bronze.

Bust r., resembling that of Khosrau II. At l.: At r.: . Double beaded border. In margin: at bottom . Traces at r.

Traces of fire-altar and attendants? Single beaded border. Possible in margin, 2nd quarter.

I–2–1919 Æ 21.

Plate III

154. Al-Muhallab b. abi-Ṣufrah (?). Ca. 75–78 H. (?) = ca. 694–697 A.D. (?). No mint name? Bronze.

Crude bust, r., of type of Khosrau II, but lacking winged crown. At r., downward, in Pahlevi: Beaded border.

Crude, squat fire-altar and attendants. Evidently no legends. Beaded border. In margin: pellet (?) at top and r. preserved.

I–1–193 Æ 16.

Plate III

The attribution is very uncertain and is suggested only on the basis of a possible reading of the name on the obverse as "Muhallab." Cf. nos. 138–141, above.

155. The Caliph al-Walīd I (?). 86–96 H. = 705–715 A.D. No mint name. Bronze.

Very crude bust of Sasanian style, r. Type of head-dress (or crown?) indeterminate. At l., downward, in Kufic: الوليد. At r., downward: . Double beaded border.

لا اله

الا الله

وحده

Triple beaded border.

I–1–281 Æ 21.

Plate III

156. The same.

Similar to no. 155, but at 1.: .....الو. At r.: .

I–2–1542 Æ 17.

Plate IV

157-158. The same.

Probably similar to no. 155, but fragmentary and largely obliterated.

I–1–322 Æ 20.

Plate IV

910 Æ 21.

159. The same.

Similar to no. 155, but headdress consists of a simple rounded cap or turban. At l., downward, in Kufic: الوليد. At r., downward: (?).

I–2–1948 Æ 19.

Plate IV

I have attributed these remarkable and hitherto unpublished coins (nos. 155–159) to the Umayyad Caliph al-Walīd on several grounds. The style, hybrid Sasanian and post-reform Umayyad, would suit al-Walīd's dates.44 No governor or revolutionary by this name in Persia at this time is known. The headdress of no. 159 suggests the possibility that the die-engraver is attempting to represent the Caliph.45 The inscription to the right of the bust is very puzzling. Is it in Kufic or in Pahlevi? On no. 155 it might be an attempt at Kufic, but on no. 156, where the end of the legend appears to be different, it looks more like Pahlevi. On no. 159 it again looks more like Kufic. With great reserve I suggest the possibility that the die-engraver was trying to write amīr al-mu'minīn in abbreviated form.

160-161. Uncertain governor. Ca. 50–80 H. = ca. 670 to 699 A.D. Mint effaced. Bronze.

Bust, r. Crown consists of 5–7 coils, tapering to a point at top. Small wings at r. and 1. of center of crown. Legends effaced. Single beaded border.

Traces of fire-altar and attendants. Single beaded border.

I–1–81 Æ 19.

Plate IV

I–2–1795b Æ 14+ (fragmentary).

Plate IV

This type might be pre-Arab, but the curious bust and headdress suggest another Arab experiment of the same general nature as that on the reverse of the coin of Ziyād b. abi-Sufyān from the Shāpūr excavations, discussed under nos. 138–141, above.

162. Anonymous, or uncertain governor. Ca. 50–80 H. = 670–699 A.D. Mint effaced. Bronze.

Very crude bust, r., with simple rounded headdress, no wings. Three streamers behind neck. At l.: ? At r.: ? Single beaded border.

Traces of facing bust with simple headdress. Lower part of bust obliterated by a lump of oxidization. Traces of legends in Pahlevi, r. and 1.? Single beaded border.

I–2–1793a Æ 17.

Plate IV

Here again the unusual busts indicate an Arab-Sasanian dating.

163. Yazīd b. .......? Ca. 60–80 H. = ca. 679–699 A.D. Mint effaced. Bronze.

Very crude facing bust(?), bearded. At l., downward, in Kufic: زيد... (?). At r., downward, in Pahlevi (?):. Beaded border.

3-line inscription in Pahlevi:

Beaded border.

I–2–1535a Æ 25 (roughly rectangular).

Plate IV

The figure on the obverse when inverted appears to present a fern-like plant in a pot; but the direction of the apparently Kufic legend at the left and the apparently Pahlevi legend at the right suggests that the figure is rather a crude bearded bust, as described.

164. Uncertain governor. Ca. 60–85 H. = ca. 679–704 A.D. Mint effaced. Bronze.46

Winged horse, walking to r. Above: ? Beneath: . Beaded border.

Largely obliterated, probably fire-altar and attendants, with legends r. and 1. Beaded border.

I–1–321 Æ 25.

Plate IV

It is just possible that the inscription on the obverse is to be read MNSUR, in which case the coin may be related to those which I have tentatively assigned to 'Abd al-Raḥmān b. Muḥammad b. al-Ash'ath (cf. nos. 142–143, above). On the other hand, if this hesitantly proposed reading is incorrect the coin may well not be Arab-Sasanian at all, as there is nothing else in the preserved epigraphy to distinguish it from a straight Sasanian issue; in which case the specimen should be dated considerably earlier. But a comparable type, in all probability of Arab date, supports the post-conquest attribution. Among the coins found by the French Mission at Susa was one with a similar "Pegasus" on the obverse, accompanied by Pahlevi legends which Mr. Unvala read farroxvīh (cf. no. 143, above) and pēročīh, "victoire."47 The reverse, however, bears a four-line Pahlevi legend giving the name of the governor (?), the word framūt (the equivalent of the Arabic 'amara) and Šūš rowāk, i.e., "current in Susa." The latter phrase definitely indicates a date within the Arab period.48 A similar specimen found at Persepolis is in the Cabinet des Médailles.49 Two other "Pegasus" specimens, one of them bearing the mint signature BIŠ (Bishāpūr), from the excavations at Bishāpūr, have been described but not illustrated.50 As Unvala remarks, "Le Pégase est sans doute emprunté aux cachets sassanides, sur lesquels il figure très souvent. Pourtant il est très probable qu'il représente sur ces monnaies musulmanes le Boraq du Prophète."51

165-166. Uncertain governor. Ca. 60–85 H. = ca. 679 to 704 A.D. Mint effaced. Bronze.

Bust, r., with winged headdress of type of Khosrau II. Traces of legend at r. Double beaded border interrupted by headdress.

Traces of 3-line Arabic(?) legend. Triple beaded border.

I–2–1526a Æ 15.

Plate IV

1835 Æ 16.

167-171. Uncertain governors. Ca. 60–85 H. = ca. 679 to 704 A.D. Mints effaced. Bronze.

Five specimens with obverses bearing bust with Khosrau II type headdress and reverse of fire-altar and attendants type. Legends effaced. Fabric suggests Arab-Sasanian attributions.

I–2–1755, 1772e, 1785a (Plate IV), 1786 (Plate IV), 1793b (Plate IV) Æ 14–20 mm.

172. Anonymous? Ca. 80–100 H. = ca. 699–719 A.D. Uncertain mint. Bronze.

Traces of a fern or tree(?) in a square.

Very crude characters:

محمد

رسول

الله

Margin: traces of large lettering, between inner dotted and outer linear border.

I–2–1520/56 Æ 20.

Plate IV

End Notes

44	To be sure, there are hybrids of this sort at a slightly later date: cf. NR no. 55, p. 102, below.
45	See my observations in Miḥrāb and 'Anazah , pp. 169–170, with reference to the headdress of the figure on a remarkable transitional dirhem.
46	The existence of this specimen was mentioned by Unvala, NC 1937, pp. 281, 283.
47	Unvala, NC 1937, p. 292, no. 21.
48	Cf. nos. 148–149, above, and the comment there.
49	Unvala, NC 1937, p. 281 and p. 292, no. 22.
50	Walker, Bishāpūr , p. 188, nos. XII–XIII.
51	Unvala, NC 1937, p. 283.

3. No Mint Name

173-175. Anonymous. Ca. 90–120 H. = ca. 708–738 A.D. No mint name. Bronze.

لا اله

الا الله

وحده

Double linear border.

محمد

رسول

الله

Double linear border.

I–1–150 Æ 18.

Plate IV

626 Æ 19.

Plate IV

I–2–1940 Æ 16.

Plate IV

This type bears conventional post-reform Arabic legends with the addition of the Pahlevi word AFD, "excellent," above the reverse area. The occurrence of isolated Pahlevi words on late Umayyad coins from Persian mints is not uncommon.52

VII. BYZANTINE

176. Tiberius II. Year 7 = 581 A.D. Antioch. Follis.

Similar to B. M. Cat. Imp. Byz. Coins, I, p. 117, no. 98; obverse effaced.

I–1–245 Æ 29, 8.80.

Plate V

177. Heraclius. Ca. 610–613 A.D. Constantinople. Solidus.

Similar to B. M. Cat. Imp. Byz. Coins, I, p. 185, nos. 3–7.

I–2–249 Ꜹ 21, 4.38 (suspension ring).

Plate V

The fact that the coin is ringed for suspension as jewelry suggests that it is an intrusion from a considerably later date. The excavation plot record, incidentally, notes that the coin came from refuse in HE 02, and described the findspot as a "mouse hole."

End Notes

52	Cf. NHR, pp. 11–12; Unvala, NC 1937, pp. 293–296.

VIII. POST-REFORM UMAYYAD

A. Iṣṭakhr

178. Anonymous. 104 H. = 722/3 A.D. Iṣṭakhr. Fals.

امر الله

بالوفا

والعدل

Double beaded border with annulets between.

بسم الله

ضرب هذا

الفلس .. صطخر

سنة اربع ومـ ...

Linear border.

I–1–252a Æ 20.

Plate V

179. Similar to no. 178, but ∵ beneath obverse area.

I–2–1520/62 Æ 20.

Plate V

180-184. Salm b. al-Musayyib. Ca. 129 H. = 746/7 A.D. Iṣṭakhr. Fals.

لا اله

الا الله

وحده

Margin: بسم الله مما امر به الامير سلم بن

المسيب باصطخر

Margin enclosed by linear borders.

○

محمد

رسول

الله

Triple linear border.

I–1–100 Æ 19.

114 Æ 19.

Plate V

170 Æ 20.

242 Æ 19.

242a Æ 19.

Plate V

These unpublished coins are interesting in that they fix the correct name of Salm b. al-Musayyib, 'āmil or prefect of Shīrāz on behalf of 'Abdullāh b. 'Umar b. 'Abd al-'Azīz (governor of Baṣrah and Kūfah) in 129 H. Ṭabari refers to him as Muslim b. al-Musayyib,53 and again in another connection he calls him Muslim when speaking of his house in Kūfah; 54 but in two other passages he refers to the same house (dār al-mukhtār) as being the one "now known" (at the time of his primary witness) as that of Salm b. al-Musayyib.55 It is therefore clear that Salm and Muslim are the same person, and our coins establish the fact that Salm is the correct name. Also of interest is the small detail that the 'āmil in Shīrāz was at this time the administrative official of Iṣṭakhr.

185-189. Anonymous. 130 H. = 747/8 A.D. Iṣṭakhr. Fals.

لا اله الا

الله وحده لا

شريك له

حـ

Triple linear border; four pairs of annulets; outer thick linear border.

محمد

رسول

الله

Margin: بسم الله ضرب هذا الفلس

باصطخر سنة ثلثين و مئة

Margin between linear or beaded borders, broken by four pairs of annulets.

I–1–407 Æ 22, 1.90+.

654 Æ 20, 1.86+.

I–2–1527 Æ 20.

Plate V

1804 Æ 20.

Plate V

1838b Æ 21.

Plate V

B. Sābūr

190. Anonymous. 81 H. (?) = 700/01 A.D. (?). Sābūr (?). Dirhem.

(sic) لا اله لا

(sic) الله وحد

لا شريك له

Margin: بسم الله ضرب هذا الدرهم

سابور (؟) سنة احدي (؟) و ثمنين (؟)

Conventional legends.

I–1–903 26, 1.90.

Plate V

The obverse is very crude and almost illegible; the attribution is therefore doubtful. The coin appears to be the product of a provincial and inexperienced die-cutter. Dirhems of Sābūr of the same date with the digit spelled وحد are known.56

191-192. Anonymous. Date if any effaced, ca. 100–132 H. = ca. 718–750 A.D. Sābūr. Fals.

امر الله با

لوفا و العدل

∴بركة

Margin: traces of legend. Margin enclosed by linear borders.

محمد ر

سول الله

∴سابور

Double or triple linear border.

I–2–1739 Æ 19.

Plate V

1803 Æ 20.

Plate V

Cf. Walker, Bishāpūr , p. 189, no. XIV, which is probably the same as these, although both the drawing and the description of the specimen from Bishāpūr indicate that the obverse has no marginal legend, while here it is clear that one was present. Also Walker reads الوفا instead of the usual بالوفا, but I would not say that on the present specimen this is the case. Walker's drawing shows the pyramids of pellets inverted and also a pyramid of pellets above the reverse; on the present specimen this part of the coin is damaged.

End Notes

53	Ṭabari II, p. 1977: مسلم بن المسيّب و هو بشيراز عامل لابن عمر Cf. Zambaur, p. 46.
54	Ibid. II, p. 237.
55	Ibid. II, pp. 520, 533.
56	B. M. Arab-Byzantine , p. 156, no. P.83.

C. Shīrāz

193. Anonymous. 130 H. = 747/8 A.D. Shīrāz. Fals.

لا اله الا

الله وحده

لا شريك له

Triple beaded border, uncertain number of annulets.

∴

محمد

رسول

الله

Margin: بسم الله ضرب بشيراز سنة ثلثين و مئة

Linear border between area and margin; outer double beaded border. Uncertain number of annulets.

I–2–1954 Æ 22. Plate V

This unique coin is of uncommon interest. Not only is it the first known Umayyad issue bearing the mint name Shīrāz, but, so far as I know, it antedates by 140 years the earliest hitherto recorded coin of this mint (designated by this name), a dirhem of the Abu-Dulafid Aḥmad b. 'Abd al-'Azīz. 57 Another unpublished issue of Shīrāz from the excavations is dated 192 (see nos. 522–552, below); and a few years after this latter date the mint becomes active under the name of Fārs (or Fāris), the name of the province of which Shīrāz was the capital.58 Theoretically Shīrāz was founded by the Arabs on the site of their encampment at the time of the investment of Iṣṭakhr,59 but in all probability the locality had been occupied by the Sasanians before the conquest.60 However, the relatively late date of the commencement of the mint's activity would suggest that the town, if it existed, was not of administrative importance in the early 7th century.

End Notes

57	C. J. Tornberg, Numi Cufici (Uppsala, 1848), p. 98, no. 416.
58	In 203 H.; see the summary of the activities of the Fārs mint in G. C. Miles, "A Ninth Century Hoard of Dirhems found at Susa," in a volume of the Mémoires de la Mission Archéologique de Perse, now in press.
59	Le Strange, p. 249.
60	Cl. Huart, s.v. Shīrāz in EI.

D. Wāsiṭ

194. Anonymous. 93 H. = 711/12 A.D. Wāsiṭ. Dirhem.

Similar to B. M. Arab-Byzantine, p. 193, no. 536.

I–2–1742b 26. Plate V

195. Anonymous. 114 H. = 732/3 A.D. Wāsiṭ. Dirhem.

Similar to B. M. Arab-Byzantine, p. 196, no. 562.

I–2–1751 27 (fragmentary). Plate V

196-197. Anonymous. 116 H. = 734/5 A.D. Wāsiṭ. Fals.

لا اله الا

الله وحده لا

شريك له

Five annulets ʘ between inner double beaded and outer linear borders.

محمد

رسول

الله

Margin: بسم الله ضرب هذا الفلس بواسط سنة ست عشرة و مئة

Margin between linear borders.

I–2–1518 Æ 21. Plate VI

1619 Æ 21.

Cf. Berlin, no. 2047, and Paris, no. 1520, with 3 annulets (Welin, Wāsiṭ, p. 154).

198. Anonymous. 121 H. = 738/9 A.D. Wāsiṭ. Dirhem.

Similar to B. M. Arab-Byzantine, p. 198, no. 571.

I–2–1725 26. Plate VI

199-200. Anonymous? 124 H. = 741/2 A.D. Wāsiṭ. Fals.

Effaced.

Double linear border, 2 annulets.

محمد

رسول

الله

Margin: بسم الله ضرب ... الفلس بواسط سنة اربع و عشرين و مئة

Margin between inner linear border and outer border consisting of inner thin and outer thick circles, with 5 (?) annulets.

I–1–117 Æ 21, 270+. Plate VI

I–2–1968 Æ 20. Plate VI

This appears to be unpublished; at least there is no specimen in the principal catalogues, nor in Welin, Wāsiṭ. Cf. NR no. 58, p. 103, below, with obverse preserved.

201. Anonymous? 126 H. = 743/4 A.D. Wāsiṭ (?). Fals.

Effaced.

محمد

رسول

الله

Margin: ... بسم الله ضرب هذا ... بواسط (؟) ... ست و عشرين ومئة

I–2–1651a Æ 20.

If the mint name is correctly read this issue also appears to be unpublished.

E. No Mint Name

202-229. Anonymous. No date. Ca. 90–120 H. = ca. 708–738 A.D. No mint name. Fals.

لا اله

الا الله

وحده

Single linear, single beaded or double beaded borders.

محمد

رسول

الله

Borders as obverse.

Diameters range between 19 and 21mm.

I–1–168 (Plate VI), 230, 295, 319, 394, 575, 660, 886 (Plate VI), 890, 916.

I–2–1575 (Plate VI), 1594 (Plate VI), 1736b, 1738b, 1753, 1765 (Plate VI), 1769c, 1777, 1782 (Plate VI), 1805a, 1810 (Plate VI), 1812, 1854, 1859a, 1876c, 1906, 1965a, 1980b.

Most of these are doubtless from Iṣṭakhr and nearby mints in Fārs.

230. Anonymous. No date. Ca. 90–120 H. = ca. 708–738 A.D. No mint name. Fals.

Similar to nos. 202–229, but obverse:

لا اله ا

لا الله

وحده

I–2–1547a Æ 20. Plate VI

231-235. Anonymous. No date. Ca. 90–120 H. = ca. 708–738 A.D. No mint name. Fals.

Obverse as nos. 202–229.

Beaded border.

جائز

محمد

رسول

الله

Beaded border.

I–2–1536b Æ 18. Plate VI

1808b Æ 19. Plate VI

1841 Æ 18.

1970 Æ 17.

1973b Æ 18. Plate VI

The word جائز, "current," occurs on many Umayyad and 'Abbāsid fulūs, beginning with the earliest Arab-Byzantine bronze;61 and also as a countermark on at least one Arab-Sasanian dirhem.62

End Notes

61	See B. M. Arab-Byzantine, index.
62	B. M. Arab-Sasanian, p. 96, no. 192.

F. Mint Effaced

236. Mint and date, if any, effaced. Ca. 90–132 H. = ca. 708–750 A.D. Fals.

.......

لوفا و[العـ]ـدل

برك[ـة]ـ

Traces of marginal legend between beaded borders.

Effaced.

Triple beaded border.

I–2–1934 Æ 21.

237-255. Unidentifiable post-reform Umayyad bronze coins. Ca. 80–132 H. = ca. 699–750 A.D. Fulūs.

See the Inventory for the field numbers of these coins.

IX. 'ABBĀSID PARTISANS

256-257. Abu-Muslim. Date effaced. Ca. 127–132 H. = ca. 744–750 A.D. Mint effaced. Fals.

لا اله

الا الله

وحده

Margin: كم عليه اجرا الا...

..... المودة القر

(Qur'ān XLII, 22)

Margin between linear borders.

محمد

رسول

الله

Margin:..... ابو مسـ ....

Margin between linear borders.

I–2–1935 Æ 22. Plate VII

1938 Æ 20, 1.93. Plate VII

For a discussion of these and related revolutionary coins struck at various mints in both western Persia and Khurāsān, see NHR, pp. 15–17, and the literature cited there; and Dominique Sourdel, Inventaire des monnaies musulmanes anciennes du Musée de Caboul (Damascus, 1953), pp. 5–9, publishing a Khārijite issue of Tanbūk (?), 133 H. Among other things Sourdel makes a proper distinction between Khārijite and 'Abbāsid partisan issues, which I had confused in NHR.

Cf. also no. 504, below.

X. UMAYYAD OR 'ABBĀSID

258-315. Unidentifiable post-reform Umayyad or early 'Abbāsid bronze coins. Ca. 80–140 H. = ca. 699–758 A.D.Fulūs. See the Inventory for the field numbers of these coins.

XI. 'ABBĀSID

A. Arrajān

316. Uncertain governor. 180 or 18x H. = 796/7 or 797–805 A.D. Arrajān. Fals.

لا اله الا

الله وحده

لا شريك له

Margin: بسم الله ضرب هذا الفلس بارجان[سنة] ... (؟) ثمنين و مئة

Outer linear border.

محمد

رسول

الله

Margin: مما امر به الامير محمد و ... على يدي ....ـ

Margin between beaded borders.

I–2–1780d Æ 22, 4.05. Plate VII

It is just possible that the letterو precedes the decade of the date, in which case there is also a digit, but there is very little space for it.

The earliest recorded coin of Arrajān, so far as I know, is a dirhem of the year 187 H.63 The town was the capital of the district of the same name, the westernmost of the five kūrahs of Fārs.

End Notes

63	P. Casanova, Inventaire sommaire de la collection des monnaies musulmanes de S. A. la Princesse Ismaīl (Paris, 1896), no. 437.

B. Ardashīr-Khurrah

317-318. Ismā'īl b. 'Ali. 145 H. = 762/3 A.D. Ardashīr-Khurrah. Fals.

لا اله الا

الله وحده

لا شريك له

Margin: بسم الله ضرب هذا الفلس باردشير خرة سنة خمس و اربعين و مئة

Outer linear border.

محمد

رسول

الله

Margin: مما امر به الامير اسمعيل بن على اكرمه الله

Outer linear border.

I–2–1693f Æ 21, 2.61+. Plate VII

1731f Æ 22, 2.84+. Plate VII

The style of lettering resembles that of contemporary dinars.

Ismā'īl b. 'Ali served in various capacities in Persia and 'Irāq: governor of Fārs in 132, prefect of al-Ahwāz in 133, of Mosul in the same year and in 134, 135 and 138, of al-Baṣrah in 143, and again governor of Fārs in 145, the year in which these coins were struck.64 Other coins of his were issued in the latter year at Iṣṭakhr (see nos. 364–369, below); and we know of still other fulūs of his struck at al-Baṣrah in 143,65 and without mint name or date.66

Ardashīr-Khurrah was both the name of one of the five kūrahs of Fārs and of the chief town of the district (before Shīrāz became the capital), originally known as Fīrūzābād, then as Jūr (Persian Gōr) and again, from Būyid times onward, as Fīrūzābād.67 Designated by the Pahlevi mint signature ART it was an active mint in Arab-Sasanian times,68 and post-reform dirhems were struck here from 80 until

99 H.69 The present coins appear to be the first published bronze issue of the mint. There is, however, an unpublished fals of the year 134 in the Museum of the American Numismatic Society. For other issues of Ardashīr-Khurrah, in some instances specifically named Jūr, see nos. 319–336, below; and re-named Kūrat al-Mahdīyah min Fārs, no. 581–609.

319-322. The Caliph al-Mahdi and Rabī'. 167 H. = 783/4 A.D. Ardashīr-Khurrah. Fals.

لا اله الا

الله وحده لا

شريك له

Margin: ضرب هذا الفلس باردشير خرة سنة سبع و ستين و مئة

Margin between linear borders.

○○○

الخليفة

المهدي محمد

امير المؤمنين

ربيع

Beaded border. The three annulets at the top of the area may actually belong to the marginal border.

I–1–364 Æ 17, 1.73+.

I–2–1543 Æ 17. Plate VII

1783 Æ 17. Plate VII

1799 Æ 17, 1.71+. Plate VII

323. Similar to nos. 319–322, but obverse:

الا

لا اله

الله وحده لا

etc.

I–2–1561 Æ 17. Plate VII

Rabī' (beneath the reverse area) is doubtless abu'-Faḍl al-Rabī' b. Yūnus b. 'Abdullāh, a public servant who filled various offices under four Caliphs. He was appointed ḥājib and later vizier by al-Manṣūr; and during al-Mahdi's reign he again performed both these functions.70 Our coins would establish the fact that he was vizier in 167 H. Cf. also nos. 391–477, below, where al-Rabī''s name occurs on coins of Iṣṭakhr of the same date.

324-325. Similar to nos. 319–322, but:

لا اله الا

الله وحده لا

شريك له

جور

Reverse has chain border.

I–2–1589 Æ 18, 1.69. Plate VII

1729b Æ 16. Plate VII

326. Similar to nos. 324–325, but the reverse retrograde.

I–2–1975 Æ 17. Plate VII

Of particular interest is the occurrence of the name Jūr (see above, p. 53) beneath the obverse. The implication would be that the name Ardashīr-Khurrah in the margin was taken to mean the district,71 and that on these coins the specific mint is named. Six years earlier the name Jūr occurs on some coins bearing the district name Kūrat al-Mahdiyah min Fārs (nos. 581–609, below), but otherwise the mint name is unknown to Islamic numismatics.

327-336. Muḥammad [b. Yaḥyâ] Barmaki. 182 H. = 798/9 A.D. Ardashīr-Khurrah. Fals.

لا اله الا

الله وحده لا

شريك له

محمد

رسول

الله

برمكي

Margin: ضرب هذا الفلس باردشير خرة سنة اثنتين و ثمنين و مئة

Margin between linear borders.

Margin: Qur'ān, IX, 33.

Margin between linear borders.

I–1–895 Æ 19, 2.38.

I–2–1520/35 Æ 19, 2.20.

1520/50 Æ 20, 2.24. Plate VII

1639 Æ 19, 2.39.

1641c Æ 18.

1661 Æ 17. Plate VII

I–2–1673b Æ 19. Plate VII

1762b Æ 19. Plate VII

1864c Æ 19, 1.94+. Plate VII

1989a Æ 19. Plate VII

It is evident that the words beneath the obverse and reverse areas are to be read together, because on coins of Iṣṭakhr and Fasā struck in the same year (nos. 478–489 and 562–580, below), the name Muḥammad b. Yaḥyâ is written out in full in the margin together with "Barmaki" beneath the reverse. The governor therefore must be Muḥammad b. Yaḥyâ b. Khālid the Barmacide, who was ḥājib at the court until 179 H.72 Other coins of his were struck in 183 H. at Sābūr (see nos. 510–519, below). This Muḥammad b. Yaḥyâ was of course a different individual from the man by the same name (but whose ancestor was al-Ḥārith b. Shakhīr) who governed al-Rayy in 179 and 180.73

This is the only bronze issue of Ardashīr-Khurrah of which there has been a previous publication.74

337-338. Anonymous. ix5 H. = ca. 775–800 A.D. Ardashīr-Khurrah. Fals.

لا اله الا

الله وحده

لا شريك له

محمد رسول

الله صلى الله

عليه و سلم

Margin: هذا لفلس باردشير........

........خرة سنة خمس و

Outer border consisting of 5 (?) annulets between linear circles.

Margin: Qur'an IX, 33.

Margin between linear borders.

I–2–1678 Æ 17. Plate VII

1955 Æ 16.

339. Uncertain governor. Date effaced. Ca. 132–160 H. = ca. 750–777 A.D. Ardashīr-Khurrah. Fals.

Effaced.

محمد

رسول

الله

Margin: بسم الله ضرب هذا الفلس

باردشير خرة.....ـ

I–2–1590 Æ 20.

End Notes

64	Ṭabari III, pp. 72–75, 81, 84, 123, 142, 301.
65	Paris, no. 1560.
66	Paris, nos. 1648–9; Berlin, nos. 2243–6.
67	Le Strange, pp. 255–256; Cl. Huart, s.v. Fīrūz-Ābād in EI.
68	B. M. Arab-Sasanian, pp. cviii–cix, etc.
69	B. M. Arab-Byzantine, pp. 107–109.
70	References to all the pertinent literature are given by A. S. Atiya in EI, s.v. al-Rabī'. Zambaur (Manuel, p. 6) gives the date of his second vizirate as ca. 166, although Atiya says he never was vizier under al-Mahdi.
71	Cf. other names of provinces or districts on Umayyad and early 'Abbāsid coins, such as Adharbayjān, Arrān, Irmīnīyah (Armenia), Sijistān, Ṭabaristān, Filāsṭīn, etc.
72	W. Barthold, s.v. Barmakides, EI; cf. Zambaur, p. 10.
73	Ṭabari III, p. 645; cf. NHR, pp. 67–68.
74	Tiesenhausen, no. 1336. The word beneath the reverse was not legible on this specimen, but doubtless the issue is the same.

C. Iṣṭakhr

340-343. The Caliph [abu'l-'Abbās] 'Abdullāh [al-Ṣaffāḥ]. 133 H. = 750/I A.D. Iṣṭakhr. Fals.

محمد

رسول

الله

Margin: مما امر به عبد الله عبد الله امير المؤمنين اكرمه الله

Margin between linear borders.

محمد

رسول

الله

Margin: ضرب هذا الفلس باصطخر سنة ثلث و ثلثين و مئة

Margin between linear borders.

I–2–1544a Æ 21. Plate VIII

1652 Æ 20.

1897 Æ 19.

1998 Æ 20, 1.75 +. Plate VIII

344-363. The Caliph 'Abdullāh [al-Manṣūr]. 140 H. = 757/8 A.D. Iṣṭakhr. Fals.

مما امر به

عبد الله عبد

الله امير المؤمنين

الوفا

∵

Border consists of 3 annulets ⊙ alternating with • •, between linear circles.

محمد

رسول

الله

Margin: بسم الله ضرب هذا الفلس باصطخر سنة اربعين و مئة جائز

Margin between linear or beaded circles, the outer of which interrupted by 5 annulets ◯.

I–1–63 Æ 18.

276 Æ 20, 2.28 +.

312a Æ 18, 1.40 +.

893 Æ 19,1.83 +.

906 Æ 20, 1.57 +. Plate VIII

I–2–1558 Æ 17. Plate VIII

1591 Æ 17.

1593 Æ 16.

1598 Æ 20.

1603a Æ 21. Plate VIII

I–2–1627a Æ 18.

1706 Æ 18.

1836b Æ 18.

1843 Æ 20. Plate VIII

1870 Æ 19. Plate VIII

1879d Æ 19.

1881c Æ 17.

1941 Æ 18.

1959 Æ 19.

1962a Æ 18.

A specimen of this issue was published by Soret in 1854.75 Note جائز at the end of the marginal legend.76

364-368. Ismā'īl b. 'Ali. 145 H. = 762/3 A.D. Iṣṭakhr. Fals.

لا اله الا

الله وحده لا

شريك له

Margin: مما امر به الامير اسمعيل بن على اصلحه الله

Margin between linear borders, the outer one interrupted by alternating annulets ○ and ○ ○. Outer thick beaded border.

محمد

رسول

الله

Margin: ضرب هذا الفلس باصطخر سنة خمس و اربعين و مئة

Margin between linear borders, the outer one interrupted by 5 annulets ○. Outer thick linear border.

I–1–257 Æ 22 2.52 +. Plate VIII

936 Æ 19, 1.90 +.

I–2–1569 Æ 21.

1743a Æ 21, 2.58 +.

1846a Æ 22. Plate VIII

369. Similar to nos. 364–368 (mint and date effaced), but margin has: الله ◯ اصلحه ◯ ... اسمعيل بن ...

I–2–1570 Æ 20. Plate VIII

For Ismā'īl b. 'Ali see nos. 317–318, above, struck at Ardashīr-Khurrah.

370-382. Hārūn b. Muḥammad (?). 149 H. = 766/7 A.D. Iṣṭakhr. Fals.

لا اله الا

الله وحده

لا شريك له

Margin: مما امر به الامير هرون بن [محمد ؟]ـ

Outer border consists of 2 linear circles interrupted by 5(?) annulets ◯.

محمد

رسول

الله

Margin: بسم الله ضرب باصطخر سنة تسع و اربعين و مئة

Area enclosed by double linear circle. Margin enclosed by inner linear and outer beaded circles interrupted by 5 (?) annulets ◯.

I–1–131 Æ 21.

301 Æ 21, 3.30.

307 Æ 22, 3.23.

335 Æ 21.

382 Æ 21.

937 Æ 21.

I–2–1614 Æ 21.

1704 Æ 20. Plate VIII

1752 Æ 22. Plate VIII

1767 Æ 20. Plate VIII

1800 Æ 20.

1864b Æ 20, 2.12 +. Plate VIII

1933b Æ 20. Plate VIII

I have not been able to identify Hārūn b. Muḥammad (?).

383-390. Al-Rabī' b. al-Khaṭīr (?). 159 H. = 775/6 A.D. Iṣṭakhr. Fals.

لا اله الا

الله وحده

لا شريك له

Margin: مما امر به الربيع بن الخطير (؟) اصلحه الله

Margin between borders with 4 annulets ◯.

محمد

رسول

الله

(؟)بخ

Margin بسم الله ضرب هذا الفلس باصطخر سنة تسع و خمسين و مئة

Margin between linear borders, with 5 (?) annulets ◯ on outer circle.

I–1–657 Æ 22, 2.16 +. Plate VIII

657a Æ23, 1.84 +. Plate VIII

934 Æ 20.

I–2–1520/70 Æ 23.

1587 Æ 23. Plate VIII

1949 Æ 19.

1963 Æ 20.

2001 Æ 21, 2.48.

The name al-Rabī' is certain, and al-Khaṭīr is probably correct, but I have been unable to find anyone by this name in the chronicles. Both the father's name and the position of the name in the marginal formula eliminate the possibility that the person is al-Rabī' b. Yūnus (cf. nos. 319–323, above, and nos. 391 ff., below).

391-470. The Caliph al-Mahdi and Rabī'. 167 H. = 783/4 A.D. Iṣṭakhr. Fals.

لا اله الا

الله وحده لا

شريك له

Border consisting of inner linear circle, circle of dots and outer linear circle; between the latter two, 5 annulets ◯.

الخليفة

المهدي

محمد امير

المؤمنين

ربيع

Margin: ضرب باصطخر سنة سبع و ستين و مئة

Margin between linear circles.

Diameter usually about 17 mm.; maximum weight, 3.04. Æ

I–1–17, 75, 92, 113 (Plate IX), 160, 186, 199, 210, 252, 300, 354, 366, 425, 516, 521, 561, 604, 645, 655b, 884, 887, 893a, 901, 902, 919, 929, 929b, 935a, 948.

I–2–1525, 1550, 1611, 1621 (Plate IX), 1624, 1643, 1647, 1651b, 1651c, 1664, 1667a, 1692c, 16g2d (Plate IX), 1696b, 1697, 1702,1703b (Plate IX), 1711a (Plate IX), 1712 (Plate IX), 1723a, 1724b, 1731a, 1731b, 173rd (Plate IX), 1737, 1741 (Plate IX), 1745, 1754a, 1754b, 1771. 1805b (Plate IX), 1807,1822a, 1838d, 1853b, 1855,1861,1872a, 1874 (Plate IX), 1881a, 1890 (Plate IX), 1896, 1898b, 1924b, 1937, 1961a, 1967a, 1971, 1976, 1984, 1988.

471. Similar to nos. 391–470, but the mint-date formula is on the obverse between an inner linear border and a thick outer linear border; reverse, inner linear border, uncertain number of annulets, thick outer linear border.

I–1–386 Æ 19, 2.60 +.

472-473. Similar to nos. 391–470, but:

لا اله الا

الله وحده

(sic)شريك له

Mint-date formula between inner linear border and outer thick linear border.

الخليفة

المهدي محمد

امير المؤمنين

ربيع

Uncertain number of annulets. Outer linear border.

I–1–919a, 17. Plate IX

929a, 17.

474-476. Similar to nos. 391–470, but mint-date formula on obverse between inner linear border and outer thick linear border; and reverse:

○ ○ ○

الخليفة

المهدي محمد

امير المؤمنين

ربيع

One specimen has a pair of annulets at the left; outer linear border.

I–2–1682a Æ 17.

1908a Æ 16. Plate IX

1916 Æ 16.

477. Similar to nos. 391–470 but:

لا اله الا

الله وحده

لا شريك له

بخ

Mint-date formula; outer beaded border.

•

الخليفة

المهدي محمد

امير المؤمنين

ربيع

Alternating ◯ ◯ and ◯ between linear borders.

I–2–1582 Æ 16. Plate IX

The first to describe a coin in general similar to nos. 391 to 477 was Fraehn;77 Lane-Poole published two others similar to the first variety, but with an error in the first line of the obverse on one;78 Nützel described two also similar to the first variety;79 and there is a similar specimen in the Museum of the American Numismatic Society. Rabī' is identified above, p. 54, in connection with coins bearing his name and struck in the same year at Ardashīr-Khurrah (nos. 319–326).

478-488. Muḥammad b. Yaḥyâ Barmaki. 182 H. = 803/4 A.D. Iṣṭakhr. Fals.

لا اله الا

الله وحده

لا شريك له

Margin: مما امر به الامير محمد بن يحيى اكرمه الله

Margin between inner beaded and outer linear borders.

محمد

رسول

الله

برمكى

Margin: ضرب هذا الفلس باصطخر سنة اثنى و ثمنين و مئة

Margin between linear borders.

I–1–932 Æ 20, 2.32+.

I–2–1520/7 Æ 19. Plate IX

1520/63 Æ 19.

1557a Æ 18. Plate IX

1635b Æ 17.

1641b Æ 18.

I–2–1679 Æ 19, 2.14+. Plate IX

1726b Æ 20. Plate IX

1811b Æ 19.

1868 Æ 20. Plate IX

1967b Æ 19.

489. Similar to nos. 478–488, but apparently no ع beneath the obverse.

I–2–1857a Æ 20.

The governor named in the obverse marginal legend (with his family name beneath the reverse area) is the Barmacide Muḥammad b. Yaḥyâ b. Khālid, who struck fulūs at Ardashīr-Khurrah and Fasā in 182 H.80 and at Sābūr in 183H.81

The following coins of Iṣṭakhr (nos. 490–497) are only partially preserved and cannot be definitely assigned to any of the above issues. In view of their fragmentary state no useful purpose would be served in describing them in full.

490-497. Uncertain governors. Ca. 132–200 H. = ca. 750 to 816 A.D. Iṣṭakhr. Fulūs

I–1–376 Æ: reverse margin: .... باصط ....

I–2–1520/65 Æ: reverse margin:ضرب هذا الفلس باصطخر(؟)

1556c Æ: reverse margin: ... باصطخر سنة احد و ...

1731e Æ: obverse margin: ... الامير محمد بن ...

reverse margin: ... هذا الفلس باصطخر سنة...

1778 Æ: probably Iṣṭakhr

1818 Æ: probably Iṣṭakhr

1840 Æ: probably Iṣṭakhr

I–2–1853a Æ obverse margin: .....مما امر به

reverse margin: ... ضرب هذا الفلس باصـ

End Notes

75	Tiesenhausen, no. 710.
76	Cf. no. 231, above.
77	Tiesenhausen, no. 1037.
78	B. M. i, p. 202, nos. 105–106.
79	Berlin, nos. 2131–2132.
80	Nos. 327–336, above, and nos. 562–580, below.
81	Nos. 510–519, below.

D. Al-Ahwāz

498. Anonymous. 140 H. (?) = 757/8 A.D. (?). Al-Ahwāz. Fals.

لا اله الا

الله وحده

لا شريك له

Margin: سنة(sic?)بالاهوز ...

اربعين (؟) و مئة

Outer linear border.

Margin: traces.

Margin between linear borders.

I–2–1520/27 Æ 20. Plate IX

The attribution is dubious in every respect.

E. Birāmqubādh

499-502. The Caliph 'Abdullāh [al-Manṣūr]. 141 H. = 758/9 A.D. Birāmqubādh. Fals.

مما امر به

عبد الله عبد الله

امير المؤمنين

محمد

رسول

الله

ببرمقباذ

•

Border consists of double linear circle broken by alternating ○ and • •, four times.

Margin: بسم الله ضرب هذا الفلس سنة احدي و اربعين و مئة

Margin between linear borders.

I–1–938 Æ 21, 2.10+. Plate IX

I–2–1552b Æ 21, 2.85. Plate IX

1744 Æ 21. Plate X

1758c Æ 20. Plate X

The mint of Birāmqubādh has been identified by John Walker and is equated with Arrajān, both of which names were known to Ṭabari.82 A mint (using the signature BRM) was located here in Arab-Sasanian times, and we know of issues of 'Abd al-Raḥmān b. Ziyād and al-Ḥakam b. abi'-'Āṣ dated 54 and 58 H. respectively.83 After the coinage reform it continued as a mint, dirhems of the years 79, 80, 90 and 93 being known.84 But no bronze issue of Birāmqubādh was hitherto known, and it is of great interest to learn that the mint was still active under this name as late as 141 H. We have no recorded issue of Arrajān until about 180 H. (see no. 316, above).

F. Madīnat Balkh?

503. The Caliph Hārūn al-Rashīd and al-Amīn. 182 H. (?) = 798/9 A.D. (?). Madīnat Balkh (?). Dirhem.

Similar to B.M. i, no. 170?; mint and date obscure.

I–2–1774 25. Plate X

End Notes

82	B. M. Arab-Sasanian, pp. cxiii–cxvi. Cf. G. C. Miles, "Abarqubādh, a new Umayyad Mint," in ANS Museum Notes IV, pp. 115–120, for a further discussion of the confusion between Birāmqubādh, Abarqubādh, etc.
83	B. M. Arab–Sasanian, pp. 85–86.
84	B. M. Arab–Byzantine, pp. 124–125.

G. Tawwaj

504. The Caliph [abu'l-'Abbās] 'Abdullāh [al-Ṣaffāḥ]. 132 H. = 749/50 A.D. Tawwaj. Fals.

محمد

رسول

الله

Margin:عليه اجرا الا المودة القربى(sic) قل لا اسلكم

Margin between beaded borders.

سنة اثنين

و ثلثين

و مئة

Margin:بسم الله امر به عبد [الله ا] مير المؤمنين بتوج

Margin between beaded borders.

Counterstamp, consisting of a single letter or a circle, in upper part of reverse area, causing a convexity in the reverse area.

I–2–1555 Æ 20, 1.34. Plate X

A crack, possibly caused by the counter-stamping, is present on the coin at the point where the mint name lies. To judge by the width of the crack there would be a letter between the و and the ج of the name; but on the other side only the letter \ is missing, so it appears that the crack is wider than the flan originally was at this point, and that no letter is missing between و and ج.

This very interesting coin not only is unique but it is the first known example of this mint. Tawwaj was a town on the Ratīn River (now the Rūd-i Ḥilla) in the district of Ardashīr-Khurrah, near Kāzirūn and 32 farsakhs from Shīrāz. It was an ancient town,85 captured by the Arabs in 18 or 19 H. (639–640 A.D.) and thereafter settled by them and embellished with mosques and a dār al-muslinitn.86 The town's chief claim to fame in later Islamic times was its textile production particularly of a type of linen known as tawwazi, produced both in Tawwaj and also in Kāzirūn by artisans from Tawwaj.87

Our interest in this coin is not however limited to its topographical aspects. It will be noted that the obverse margin bears the unusual Qur'ānic quotation Sūrah XLII, 22: "Say, for this I ask no wage of you, save love of my kin." This verse occurs on a number of coins, both dirhems and fulūs, struck by Abu-Muslim and 'Abdullāh b. Mu'āwiyah during the period of the uprisings by 'Abbāsid partisans between 127 and 132 H. (744–749 A.D.).88 On this account one would be inclined at first sight to attribute this coin of Tawwaj also to the 'Abbāsid partisans, were it not for the fact that the reverse margin bears the name and title, amīr al-mu'minīn, of the newly enthroned 'Abbāsid Caliph al-Ṣaffāḥ. The coin therefore is an 'Abbāsid issue and must have been struck after 13 Rabī' I, 132 (30 October, 749), the date of al-Ṣaffāḥ's proclamation. The retention of the propaganda slogan, Qur'ān XLII, 22, is remarkable, but we know that it still must have been on the lips of all well-informed revolutionaries, for Ṭabari tells us that al-Ṣaffāḥ quoted the verse in his inaugural address.89 This is, so far as I know, the first recorded example of a purely 'Abbāsid coin bearing this celebrated passage; the other known issues of the year 132 were struck either before the final success of the revolution, or, at least in the distant mints such as Marv and Balkh, before word was received of al-Ṣaffāḥ's enthronement.

Counterstamps on early 'Abbāsid coins are not at all common, and it is a pity that the present one is illegible. One can only speculate on its significance. Perhaps it validated the coin in Iṣṭakhr; or else it may have legitimized an issue which might have appeared to those who did not examine it carefully to predate the 'Abbāsid rule.

End Notes

85	See Ernst Herzfeld, "Pasargadae," in Klio, VIII (1908), p. 18, citing Strabo, Arrian and Ptolemy.
86	Balādhuri, p. 386; Yāqūt, I, pp. 890–891; Ḥudūd al-'Ālatm, pp. 74, 127, 212, 377 (spelled Tavaz); Fārsnāmā, pp. 114, 135, 163; cf. Le Strange, pp. 259–260.
87	See the numerous references assembled by R. B. Serjeant, "Material for a History of Islamic Textiles up to the Mongol Conquest", Ars Islamica X (1943), pp. 83–84 (also pp. 81–82), and IX (1942), p. 68, XV–XVI (1951), p. 77.
88	See nos. 256–257, above, and the literature cited there. To the list in NHR should be added another specimen of al-Taymarah, 128 H., another of Jayy, 129 H., which have come to my attention (Cora and E. Zygman collections), and one of Balkh, 132 H., published by Ibrahim Artuk in Tarih Dergisi III (Istanbul, 1953), pp. 135–136.
89	Ṭabari III, p. 29.

H. Jayy

505. [Al-Ḥusayn b. al-Jannāḥ]. 191 H. = 806/7 A.D. Jayy. Fals.

لا اله الا

الله وحده

لا شريك له

Margin: هذا ○ بسم الله ضرب

○ و تسعين و مئة ○ بجيى سنة احدي ○ الفلس

Margin between beaded borders.

Effaced.

Margin: ....مولى امير المؤ....

Margin between beaded borders.

I–2–1672 Æ 20. Plate X

In the Cabinet des Médailles there is a comparable coin,90 on which Lavoix read the date 181. Could he have misread it? The date of the present specimen is clearly 191. Beneath the reverse area of the Paris piece is the name محمد, and the reverse margin reads: مما امر به الحسين بن الجناح مولى امير المؤمنين. I have not been able to identify the prefect, a freedman. Jayy was the old name for Iṣfahān.

I. Sābūr

506-507. Mūsâ [b. al-mahdi] and Ṣāliḥ b. Dā'ūd. Ca. 164–165 H. = ca. 780–782 A.D. Sābūr. Fals.

الامير موسى بن

امير المؤمنين

فى ولائة

الامير صلح

حفظه الله

Margin: بسم الله ضرب بسابور ولى

عهد المسلمين

Margin enclosed by border consisting of inner beaded circle and outer linear circle, with annulets ○ between.

بن داود

Margin: لا اله الا الله وحده لا

شريك له محمد رسول الله

Margin enclosed by double beaded and outer linear circles.

I–2–1612 Æ 20. Plate X

1930 Æ 18. Plate X

On no. I–2–1930 the words بسم الله appear to be the first line of the area rather than to introduce the marginal legend.

The amīr Mūsâ is of course the Caliph al-mahdi's son (al-Hādi), at this time heir to the throne, as stated in the obverse margin. Ṣāliḥ b. Dā'ūd b. 'Ali was appointed governor of al-Baṣrah and its dependencies, Dijlah, Baḥrayn, 'Umān, al-Furaḍ, al-Ahwāz and Fārs in the year 164 H.91 These coins, and nos. 508–520, below, are, so far as I know, the first recorded 'Abbāsid issues of Sābūr. It is curious that none should have been found in the excavations there. Arab-Sasanian and Umayyad coins of the mint (Bishāpūr and Sābūr) are well know; among others see nos. 103–134, 190 to 192, above. The phrasing and arrangement of the legends on the present coins is unusual.

508-509. The Caliph al-mahdi. 167 H. = 783/4 A.D. Sābūr. Fals.

الخليفة

المهدي

امير المؤمنين

.....

سابور

سبع و

ستين و

مئة

Margin (between linear borders?) effaced.

Triple linear border.

I–2–1903 Æ 16. Plate X

1997 Æ 16. Plate X

510-519. Muḥammad [b. Yaḥyâ] Barmaki. 183 H. = 799/800 A.D. Sābūr. Fals.

لا اله الا

الله وحده

لا شريك له

Area enclosed by double linear border, outside which 5 annulets ⊚.

برمكى

محمد

رسول

الله

محمد

Margin: ضرب هذا الفلس بسابور

سنة ثلث و ثمنين و مئة

Margin enclosed by linear borders, the outer of which interrupted by 5 annulets ○.

I–1–315 Æ 19, 1.50+.

I–2–1520/3 Æ 17.

1520/13 Æ 17. Plate X

1520/51 Æ 17. Plate X

1520/54 Æ 18.

1520/61 Æ 19. Plate X

1690d Æ 18.

1700a Æ 18. Plate X

1779b Æ 20. Plate X

1977b Æ 18.

These coins, with "Barmaki" above the reverse and Muḥammad beneath, are to be compared with those of the year 182 struck at Ardashīr-Khurrah, Iṣṭakhr and Fasā (nos. 327–336 and 478–489, above, and 562–580, below).

520. [Muḥammad b. Yaḥyâ?] Barmaki. [18?]4 H. = 800 (?) A.D. Sābūr. Fals.

لا اله الا

الله وحده

له .....

Margin: ..... امر به(؟)ـ ....

Margin between linear borders.

.....

رسول

الله

برمكى

Margin: الفلس بسابور سنة ....

... ار

Outer linear border.

I–2–1606b Æ 17.

The attribution is based on nos. 510–519, above, but everything except the word برمكى is dubious.

End Notes

90	Paris, no. 1572.
91	Ṭabari III, pp. 501, 503. Cf. Zambaur, p. 40.

J. Madīnat Samarqand

521. [Al-Faḍl b. Sahl]. 201 H. = 816/7 A.D. Madīnat Samarqand. Dirhem.

Similar to B. M. i, no. 288.

I–2–1687a 25. Plate X

K. Shīrāz

522-552. 'Abdullāh b. al-musayyib. 192 H. = 807/8 A.D. Shīrāz. Fals.

لا اله الا

الله وحده

لا شريك له

Margin: ضرب هذا الفلس بشيراز

سنة اثنتين و تسعين و مئة

Margin between linear borders.

مما امر به الا

مير عبد الله

بن المسيب

بخ

Margin: Qur'ān IX, 33.

Margin between linear borders.

The * beneath the obverse is not always present.

I–1–602 Æ 20, 1.25+. Plate X

I–2–1520/12 Æ 20, 3.06.

1520/18 Æ 20, 2.24.

1520/23 Æ 20.

1520/26 Æ 20.

1520/29 Æ 22.

1520/30 Æ 21.

1520/32 Æ 19.

1520/34 Æ 19.

1520/37 Æ 22, 2.85. Plate X

1520/40 Æ 19.

1520/46 Æ 21.

1520/47 Æ 21.

1520/48 Æ 21, 1.84+.

1520/49 Æ 21.

1520/58 Æ 21.

I–2–1520/66 Æ 19, 1.49 +.

1520/68 Æ 20. Plate X

1520/71 Æ 21, 2.83. Plate XI

1520/73 Æ 20.

1520/74 Æ 19.

1535b Æ 17.

1626b Æ 19.

1658 Æ 21.

1680 Æ 20.

1692b Æ 20.

1762c Æ 19.

1772d Æ.

1820d Æ 20.

1960 Æ 18. Plate XI

1966a Æ 20.

The identity of the governor is uncertain. A certain 'Abdullāh b. al-musayyib is mentioned once in Ṭabari in connection with events of the year 158 H.,92 but this is 34 years before the date of these coins. However, this 'Abdullāh's father was al-musayyib b. Zuhayr, who was a prominent general and official throughout the forties and fifties of the century93 and was governor of Khurāsān as late as 163 to 166 H., in which latter year the province rose in revolt against him.94 A son of his could therefore conceivably have been active in 192 H. There can hardly be any connection with Salm b. al-musayyib who was governor of Iṣṭakhr and Shīrāz ca. 129 H. (nos. 180–184, above).

See no. 193, above, for an earlier issue of the Shīrāz mint.

End Notes

92	Ṭabari III, p. 455.
93	Ibid. III, pp. 3, 21, 80, 135, 195, 293, 382, 384.
94	Ibid. III, pp. 500–501, 503, 517.

L. Fārs

553. Anonymous. 205 H. = 820/1 A.D. Fārs. Fals.

لا اله الا

الله وحده

لا شريك له

Margin: بسم الله ضرب هذا الفلس بفارس سنة خمس و مئتين

Margin enclosed by inner linear and outer thick linear borders, within which 5 annulets ○.

محمد

رسول

الله

Margin: Qur'ān IX, 33.

Margin between linear borders.

I–2–1921 Æ 20. Plate XI

This unique fals of Shīrāz bearing the province name Fārs was struck two years after the earliest known dirhem on which the mint is designated by this name.95

M. Fasā

554-561. The Caliph al-mahdi and Nuṣayr. No date. 158–169 H. = 775–785 A.D. Fasā. Fals.

الخليفة

المهدي محمد

امير المؤمنين

Margin:...(⸮) منصور بفارس ...

Margin between inner linear and outer beaded borders.

ضرب

نصير

بفسا

Border between linear circles.

I–1–284 Æ 17.

655 Æ 19. Plate XI

935 Æ 21.

I–2–1533 Æ 18.

1688b Æ 19, 2.09.

1700b Æ 20, 2.51. Plate XI

1821 Æ 17. Plate XI

1875b Æ 19.

The obverse margin seems to consist of only three or four words, the letter ṣad of what appears pretty definitely to be منصور, Manṣūr, being drawn out to cover nearly 80 % of the circumference. The word بفارس, "in Fārs," is conjectural but quite possible. One of the best preserved obverse marginal legends is NR 61, p. 104, below.

Fasā was an important town between Darabjird and Shīrāz, by the 4th century of the Hijrah almost as large as Shīrāz. Like Tawwaj (see no. 504, above) it was well known for its textiles.96 Fasā was a mint in early post-reform Umayyad times, and dirhems are known of the years 79, 80 and 81.97 A sole 'Abbāsid dirhem attributed to Fasā by Fraehn with a query is dated 166 H.;98 the existence of the present fulūs of approximately the same date tend to confirm this attribution. These coins and nos. 562–580, below, are, so far as I know, the only bronze issues of the mint that have come to light.

It would be difficult to say whether Nuṣayr is the same person whose name occurs (always without patronymic) on a number of contemporary dirhems and fulūs: Adharbayjān, 166,99 Æ Madīnat al-Salām, 166,100 and Æ al-Baṣrah, 167,101 Armīnīyah, 167,102 al-Baṣrah, 168,103Æ al-mawṣil, 168,104 Adharbayjān, 169.105 On these coins the name occurs either in isolated position in the area or else in the margin accompanied by the phrase 'alâ yaday, "at the hands of." I have suggested that this man might possibly be a certain eunuch and freedman by the name of Nuṣayr al-Waṣīf who in 169 was in charge of the postal service.106

562-580. Muḥammad b. Yaḥyâ Barmaki. 182 H. = 798/9 A.D. Fasā. Fals.

لا اله الا

الله وحده

لا شريك له

محمد

Margin: O يحيى O محمد بن O الامير O امر به O مما

Margin: between inner linear and outer beaded borders.

محمد

رسول

الله

برمكى

Margin: ضرب هذا الفلس بفسا سنة اثنن [اثنين/]و ثمنين و مئة

Margin between linear borders.

I–1–515 Æ 17. Plate XI

562 Æ 18.

653 Æ 19.

905 Æ 18, 2.64.

912 Æ 18, 2.53.

I–2–1520/15 Æ 17.

1520/28 Æ 18.

1530 Æ 18. Plate XI

1610 Æ 17. Plate XI

1622c Æ 17. Plate XI

I–2–1671b Æ.

1689 Æ 18.

1695 Æ 19.

1814 Æ 19. Plate XI

1847b Æ 19.

1850 Æ 18. Plate XI

1912 Æ.

1969 Æ 19.

1986 Æ 19. Plate XI

This issue of Muḥammad b. Yaḥyâ the Barmacide is to be compared with others of the same date struck at Ardashīr-Khurrah (nos. 327–336) and Iṣṭakhr (nos. 478–489), and those of Sābūr issued in 183 (nos. 510–519) and possibly 184 (no. 520).

End Notes

95	See the discussion following no. 193, above.
96	Le Strange, pp. 290, 293–294.
97	B. M. Arab-Byzantine, pp. lxxxv, 169.
98	Tiesenhausen, no. 994.
99	Berlin, no. 780.
100	B.M. i, p. 206, no. 120; Berlin, nos. 2151–8; Paris, nos. 1620–21; Antioch , no. 121; and see below, no. 613.
101	Tiesenhausen, no. 2772; Berlin, no. 2136.
102	Berlin, no. 788.
103	Tiesenhausen, no. 1047; B.M. i, no. 100.
104	Tiesenhausen, no. 1054.
105	B.M. ix, p. 45, no. 88t; Berlin, nos. 781–2; Paris, no. 691.

N. Kūrat al-mahdīyah min Fārs

581–602a. Anonymous. 161 H. = 777/8 A.D. Kūrat al-mahdīyah min Fārs. Fals.

لا اله الا

الله وحده

لا شريك له

Margin: ضرب هذا الفلس سنة احدي و ستين و مئة

Margin enclosed by linear border, outside which 4 or 5 annulets ○.

محمد

رسول

الله

Margin: بسم الله ضرب هذا الفلس بكورة المهدية من فارس

Area and margin enclosed by linear borders, outside which 4 (?) annulets ○ and outer beaded border.

I–1–102 Æ 22.

127 Æ, 23, 3.37+.

358 Æ 22, 2.90+.

380 Æ 24, 2.89+.

407a Æ 21.

407b Æ 21, 3.62+.

462 Æ 22. Plate XI

468 Æ 22.

475 & 22. Plate XI

I–2–1554 Æ 24. Plate XI

1574 Æ.

1592b Æ 20.

I–2–1620 Æ 23.

1655 Æ 21.

1691c Æ 20.

1729a Æ 23. Plate XI

1734b Æ.

1740 Æ 24.

1885a Æ 21. Plate XI

1885b Æ 22.

1887 Æ 23. Plate XI

1973a Æ 24. Plate XI

HL 96, refuse Æ 22.

603-608. Similar to nos. 581–602, but above the reverse area: جور

I–1–89 Æ 23, 2.06+. Plate XI

119 Æ 22, 2.58 +. Plate XII

464 Æ 22,4.57 +.

545 Æ 23.

I–2–1573 Æ 24. Plate XII

1756 Æ 21. Plate XII

609. Similar to nos. 581–602, but overstruck obverse on reverse.

I–2–1538b Æ 20. Plate XII

It is curious that only one specimen of these evidently plentiful issues (nos. 581–609) has hitherto been recorded, and this one specimen was double-struck or overstruck like no. 609, so that the publisher was unable to decipher the mint name, although he did read the first part of it, Kūrah. This specimen belonged to F. Soret and was described by him in 1854.107 Soret speculated on the possibility that the mint name was to be read Kūrah al-mu'aẓẓam, and for this reason supposed that the coin may have been struck in Mecca.

Nos. 603–608 are the clue to the identification of this unrecorded geographical name, Kūrah al-mahdīyah min Fārs: the kūrah or district must be Ardashīr-Khurrah, and the mint Jūr, otherwise known as Fīrūzābād, in early Islamic times the chief town of the district.108 The five kūrahs or districts of Fārs: in the classical Arab period were Ardashīr-Khurrah, Sābūr, Arrajān, Iṣṭakhr and Darabjird,109 and at one time during my preliminary study of the Iṣṭakhr excavation coins I came to the conclusion that the Kūrah al-mahdīyah min Fārs: must be either Iṣṭakhr itself, Shīrāz or Sābūr.110 But at that time I had not noticed the significance of the name Jūr on the variety (nos. 603–608). Obviously this new official name for the old Sasanian district was created to honor the Caliph al-mahdi (father of Hārūn al-Rashīd),111 but evidence that it did not continue long in vogue is provided by the issues of 167 H., only six years later, where the old name Ardashīr-Khurrah recurs (nos. 319–326); and the latter designation is still in use in 182 H. (nos. 327–336).

End Notes

106	Antioch , p. 117, citing Ṭabari III, pp. 461, 462, 545.
107	F. Soret, "Lettre à M. Sawelief," Revue de la Numismatique Belge, 1854, pp. 285–286, no. 13 = Tiesenhausen, no. 915.
108	Cf. the discussion under nos. 317–318, above; also nos. 319–323, and (Ardashīr-Khurrah with the amplifying specification "Jūr") nos. 324–326.
109	Le Strange, p. 248.
110	Miles, A brief Report, pp. 495–496. I was mistaken there in equating Ardashīr-Khurrah with Shīrāz; it was not until later that Shīrāz became the capital of the district (see p. 47, above).
111	Another mint renamed in honor of al-mahdi was Rayy, called al-muḥammadīyah, after his given name, in 148 and for many years thereafter (down until the Ghaznavid period). See NHR, p. 31.

O. Al-muḥammadīyah

610. Hārūn al-Rashīd. 170 H. = 786/7 A.D. Al-muḥammadīyah. Fals.

Obverse similar to NHR no. 70 F, reverse similar to NHR no. 70 G.

I–2–1928a Æ 21. Plate XII

611. Anonymous. 193 H. = 808/9 A.D. Al-muḥammadīyah. Dirhem.

Similar to NHR no. 94 A.

I–1–97 22.

P. Madīnat al-Salām

612. The Caliph Al-mahdi. 162 H. = 778/9 A.D. Madīnat al-Salām. Dirhem.

Similar to B.M. i, no. 126.

I–2–1588 23. Plate XII

613. The Caliph Al-mahdi Muḥammad and Nuṣayr. 166 H. = 782/3 A.D. Madīnat al-Salām. Fals.

Similar to B.M. i, p. 206, no. 120.

I–2–1666 Æ 21, 2.63.

For Nuṣayr, see nos. 554–561, above.

614. Anonymous. 193 H. = 808/9 A.D. Madīnat al-Salām. Dirhem.

Similar to B.M. i, no. 226.

I–1–203 22, 2.46.

615. The Caliph al-Rāḍi. 323 H. = 934/5 A.D. Madīnat al-Salām. Dirhem.

Similar to B.M. i, no. 465.

I–2–1583 25. Plate XII

Q. Ma'din al-Shāsh

616. Al-ma'mūn as eventual heir. 190 H. = 805/6 A.D. Ma'din al-Shāsh. Dirhem.

Similar to B.M. i, no. 228.

I–2–1519 25. Plate XII

R. Wāsiṭ

617-618. Uncertain governor. 1x6 H. = ca. 753–783 A.D. Wāsiṭ. Fals.

Effaced.

Margin: بسم الله ضرب هذا الفلس بواسط سنة ست و .... و مئة

Margin enclosed by double linear border, annulets, outer thick linear border.

Margin: مما امر به الامير محمد(؟) ....ـ

Margin between linear borders.

I–2–1520/69 Æ 20. Plate XII

1957 Æ 20.

This issue, unfortunately not wholly decipherable, appears to be unpublished.112

S. No Mint Name

619-621. Anonymous. 156 H. = 772/3 A.D. No mint name. Fals.

لا اله الا

الله وحده

لا شريك له

Double beaded border enclosing 3 annulets ◯.

محمد

رسول

الله

Margin: بسم الله ضرب سنة ست وخمسين و مئة

Margin between beaded borders, the outer of which interrupted by 3 pairs of annulets ◯ ◯.

I–2–1761 Æ. 21. Plate XII

1780e Æ.

1851 Æ 22. Plate XII

End Notes

112	At least nothing similar seems to be recorded in Welin, Wāsiṭ.

T. Mint Effaced.

622. The Caliph al-mahdi. 166 H. = 782/3 A.D. Mint effaced. Dirhem.

Probably similar to B.M. i, no. 132 (Madīnat al-Salām).

I–2–1686a 24 (frg., cut in half).

623-629. Period of al-mahdi. 158–169 H. = 775–785 A.D. Mint effaced. Fulūs.

Obscure bronze coins either bearing al-mahdi's name, or a partial date, or exhibiting characteristics of the coinage of al-mahdi.

I–1–31, 55, 179, 412.

I–2–1645, 1701b (Plate XII), 1817 (Plate XII).

630. Muḥammad [b. Yaḥyâ] Barmaki. 182 H. (?) = 798/9 A.D. (?). Mint effaced. Fals.

Similar to the issues of Fasā of 182 H. (nos. 562–580), but برمك (?) instead of برمكى mint and date effaced.

I–2–1520/36 Æ 18. Plate XII

631-632. Uncertain governor. 198 H. = 813/4 A.D. Mint effaced. Fals.

لا اله الا

ده....

......

Border consists of two linear circles, between which alternating and ○.

... مما امر به الامـ

......

Margin: ثمان وتسعين و مئة ...... ضرب هذا الـ

Margin between linear borders.

I–2–1849b Æ 17.

1886b Æ 17.

U. Mint and Date Effaced, 'Abbāsid 2nd Century H.

Ca.750–815 A.D.

633-849 d. 221 unidentifiable bronze coins with 2nd century 'Abbāsid characteristics.

See the Inventory for the field numbers of these coins.

V. Mint Effaced, 'Abbāsid 3rd Century H.

Ca.815–912 A.D.

850. The Caliph al-mutawakkil. Date effaced. 232–247 H. = 847–861 A.D. Mint effaced. Dirhem.

I–2–1901 .

851. The Caliph al-mu'tamid. 272 H. = 885/6 A.D. Mint effaced. Dirhem.

I–2–1585 .

852. The Caliph al-mu'tamid. Date effaced. 256–279 H. = 870–892 A.D. Mint effaced. Dirhem.

I–2–1992 . Plate XII

853-854. Mint effaced. Date effaced. Dirhem fragments.

I–2–1657 (date ends مائتين).

1722 .

855-856. Mint effaced. Date effaced. Fulūs.

Dates end مائتين.

I–1–643 Æ 17.

I–2–1952 Æ.

XII. SĀMĀNID

857. Manṣūr b. Nūḥ and Aḥmad b. Manṣūr. 3XX = 961–977 A.D. Bukhārā (?). Fals.

لا اله الا

الله وحده

لا شريك له

Outer margin: بسم الله ضرب

.....(⸮) هذا الفلس ببخارا

Inner margin: (⸮) على يدي

ين و ثلثمائة....و .....

Marginal legends between linear borders.

Margin: مما امر به الامير احمد بن

منصور مولى امير المؤمنين

Margin between linear borders.

I–2–1958 Æ 27. Plate XIII

This coin should be legible in its entirety but I have been unable to read parts of the marginal legends in the photograph. In some respects it is comparable to B.M. ii, no. 411.

XIII. BŪYID

858. Ṣamṣām al-Dawlah and Fakhr al-Dawlah. 38X H. = 990–998 A.D. Mint effaced. Dirhem.

.... لا اله

... وحده لا شر

.....

... الملك

...... القا

...... فخر

.... و ملك

Margin: بسم.....ين و ثلث مائة

Outer border of dots, outside of which annulets ○○ (one pair preserved).

.... صمصام الد

.... وشمس المـ

..... ابو كالـ

Margin: traces.

Border of dots enclosing area.

I–2–1760 26. Plate XIII

Cf. BM. ii, no. 667, with similar area legends.

859-860. Būyid. Late 4th to early 5th c. H. = late 10th to early 11th c. A.D.

Traces of legends suggest Būyid attribution.

I–2–1674 Æ.

1763a (frg.).

XIV. SELJŪQ?

861. Unidentifiable clipping. Ca. 5th c. H. = ca. 11th c. A.D. Dinar fragment.

Traces of legend suggest the Seljūq period.

I–2–542 9 + (frg.). Plate XIII

XV. ILKHĀNID

862. Abu-Sa'īd. 730 H. = 1329/30 A.D. Mint effaced. Bronze.

لا اله الا

محمد ...

......

.......

... السلطان

فى سنة ثلثين

...خان خلـ...

.......

I–2–1811a Æ 19. Plate XIII

863. Sulaymān Khān. 740–744 H. = 1339–1344 A.D. Kabīr Shaykh or Shaykh-i Kabīr. Bronze.

سليما

خان

شيخ

كبير

ضرب

Linear circle and outer border of dots, obverse and reverse.

I–2–1684a Æ 16. Plate XIII

The location of this mint is unknown.113 I have recorded in my files specimens in silver of the Ilkhānids Muḥammad, Ṭoghā Tīmūr and Sulaymān, dated 737,114 738, 739, 73X and 74X.

XVI. AUTONOMOUS PERSIAN

864. Anonymous. 12th–13th c. H. = 18th–19th c. A.D. Iṣfahān. Bronze.

General type of B.M. Shāhs of Persia, p. 219, nos. 26ff. I–1–355 Æ 24, 18.10.

XVII. QĀJĀR

865. Muḥammad Shāh. 1250–1264 H. = 1835–1848 A.D. Irān . Bronze.

Type of B.M. Shāhs of Persia, no. 576.

I–2–1592a Æ 19.

XVIII. UNIDENTIFIABLE

866-1046. 181 unidentifiable bronze coins, the majority, to judge by their fabric, late Sasanian or early Islamic.

See the Inventory for the field numbers of these coins.

End Notes

113	B. Spuler, Die Mongolen in Iran (Berlin, 1955), pp. 129 and 133, lists this mint but does not indicate whether or not it has been identified.
114	Cf. PT 10, p. 88, below.

PERSEPOLIS TERRACE EXCAVATIONS

I. SASANIAN

1. Ardashir I. 224–241 A.D. Dirhem.

Bust of king, r., with moustache, long plaited beard, side and back hair; low crown surmounted by globe.

Legend (beginning at 11:30 o'clock):

Fire-altar on fluted shaft standing on two steps; handles resembling lion's paws resting on incense vessels. At r. ; at l. .

PT–5–64 24, 3.85 (broken in 2 pieces). Plate XIII

Cf. Paruck, nos. 37ff., plates II and III. Note that the reverse legend is opposite to the usual order.

2. Khosrau II. Year 31 = 620 A.D. ŠI (?) = Shīrajān (?). Dirhem.

Usual type, with in obverse margin. Reverse: at r. ـسـ; at l.

PT–5–373a 28, 3.00. Plate XIII

The mint mark is Walker's no. 49, which he tentatively assigned to Shīrajān, the old capital of Kirmān province; and I have supported this hypothesis.115

II. ARAB-SASANIAN

3. 'Abdullāh b. Zubayr. 63 H. (?) = 682/3 A.D. (?). ZR = Zaranj. Dirhem.

Usual bust. At r.:

Margin, 2nd quarter:

• بسم الله

3rd quarter:

Usual fire-altar and attendants. At r. ; at l.

PT–5–373b 27, 2.60 (clipped). Plate XIII

Probably there were two or three pellets ( or ∴) after بسم الله in the margin (as on other coins of 'Abdullāh b. Zubayr's at Zaranj),116 but only one has been preserved as a result of clipping. The writing of the date is enigmatic and I can only suggest 63 as the probable date.

End Notes

115	Cf. Miles, Kirmān.

III. UMAYYAD

Sābūr (?).

4. Anonymous. No date. Ca. 100–132 H. = ca. 718–750 A.D. Sābūr (?). Fals.

...لا الـ

....الا

..وحد

Linear border.

(⸮) سابور

محمد

رسول

•الله

Linear border.

PT–5–388 Æ 19, 1.65. Plate XIII

IV. 'ABBĀSID

a) Iṣṭakhr

5-6. The Caliph al-mahdi and Rabī'. 167 H. = 783/4 A.D. Iṣṭakhr. Fals.

Similar to Iṣṭakhr Excavations, nos. 391–470, pp. 60–61, above.

PT–7–360 Æ 16. Plate XIII

372 Æ 16. Plate XIII

End Notes

116	The only published specimen of 'Abdullāh b. Zubayr at Zaranj (B.M. Arab-Sasanian, p. 32, no. M.20, year 69) is not fully described; but two unpublished specimens in the Museum of the American Numismatic Society (years 66? and 69) have and ∵ respectively. Both incidentally have in the 3rd quarter.

b) Al-'Abbāsīyah

7. Yazīd? 171 H. (?) = 787/8 A.D. (?). Al-'Abbāsīyah. Dirhem.

Similar to B.M. i, no. 183, but reverse: above, جائز ; beneath, يزيد?

PT–7–212 25. Plate XIII

As is the case with almost all the coins of this mint the legends on this specimen are exceedingly difficult to read. Here an additional difficulty is that the coin is double struck. My reading of the date is doubtful. The word جائز is dubious, but يزيد is almost certainly correct. At all events I have not found in the published literature or in the collection of the American Numismatic Society any other specimen with a similar legend above the reverse area.

c) Mint Effaced

8. Uncertain governor. 2nd c. H. = ca. 750–815 A.D. Mint effaced. Fals.

Conventional formulae, no distinctive legends preserved. PT–5–838 Æ 17.

V. ILKHĀNID

9. Abu-Sa'īd. No date. 716–736 H. = 1316–1336 A.D. Mint effaced. Bronze.

Very obscure, probably similar to Naqsh-i Rustam Excavations, no. 68, p. 106, below.

PT–7–227 Æ 16.

10. Muḥammad Khān. 737 H. = 1336/7 A.D. Kabīr Shaykh or Shaykh-i Kabīr. Bronze.

Within square, within circular linear and dotted border:

(sic) السطان

(sic) محمد

خلد ملكه

In segments between square and circle: ·*·

In center, within ornamental triangle within linear and dotted border:

ضر

شبخ

كبير

In segments between triangle and circle:| سنة سبع

ئة...وسـ|و...ن

PT–5–845 Æ 22, 2.50. Plate XIV

For the same mint name on a coin of Sulaymān Khān, see Iṣṭakhr Excavations, no. 863, p. 84, above.

VI. ILKHĀNID OR SUCCESSOR

11-13. Uncertain rulers. Ca. 700–750 H. = ca. 1300–1350 A.D. Mints effaced. Bronze.

Few traces preserved; roughly attributable by style and fabric.

PT–3–10 Æ 23.

18 Æ 16.

19 Æ 25.

VII. MUẒAFFARID

14. Shāh Shujā'. 765–786 H. = 1363–1384 A.D. Idhaj. Dirhem.

Within square formed by elongated bases of surrounding inscription:

Within curved polygonal frame:

بلد

• ايذج

Around: لا اله... الله محمد رسول الله

(sic) اللطان

و امير المؤمنين

لمطاع شاه شجاع ..

...ضرب ايذج

خلد الله ملكه

scroll

PT–3–14 18, 1.40. Plate XIV

Quite a few coins of this dynasty struck at Idhaj have been published, but none, so far as I know, of this type. Idhaj, the Māl-Amīr or Malamir of today, lies in Khūzi-stān south-east of Tustar on the Dujayl.117

VIII. TĪMŪRID

15. Tīmūr Gūrkhān and Maḥmūd. Date effaced or no date. Ca. 790–800 H. = ca. 1388–1398 A.D. Shīrāz. Bronze.

.......

.... لسلطان محـ ..

مور كور كان ...

...... لك ...

Within ornamental circle (?):

عدلية

شيراز

PT–5–840 Æ 20, 1.98. Plate XIV

Cf. B.M. vii, nos. 38–43, in some respects similar, but this is a different issue.

IX. AUTONOMOUS PERSIAN

a) Shīrāz

16. Anonymous. 12th–13th c. H. = 18th–19th c. A.D. Shīrāz. Bronze.

Unidentifiable quadruped, walking right.

فلوس

ضر شيراز

PT–5–16 Æ 25, 18.30. Plate XIV

End Notes

117	Le Strange, p. 245.

b) Uncertain Mint

17. Anonymous. Probably 11th–12th c. H. = 17th–18th c. A.D. Mint? Bronze.

See illustration.

PT–5–839 Æ 17X13, 1.45. Plate XIV

18. Anonymous. 12th–13th c. H. = 18th–19th c. A.D. Mint effaced. Bronze.

Lion (?), walking right.

.... فلو

......

PT–5–436 Æ 21, 9.50.

X. UNIDENTIFIABLE ISLAMIC

19. Unidentifiable, probably after 8th c. H. = after 14th c. A.D. Bronze.

Traces of letters on one side.

PT–3–6 Æ 17.

NAQSH–I RUSTAM EXCAVATIONS

I. PERSIS

1. Artaxerxes V and Papek. Ca. 200 A.D. Obol?

Bust of Artaxerxes V, facing; long pointed beard, long side hair. Tiara with star and crescent in center. At r.: . At l.: .

Border of dots.

Bust of Papek, left, wearing tiara. At r.: . At l.: . Border of dots, overlapping at r.

Border of dots.

NR–1–53 11, 0.55. Plate XIV

This type appears to be unpublished. Of comparable style is de Morgan, Manuel, p. 288, fig. 370; and cf. de Morgan, pl. XXXIV, nos. 18–s22.

II. SASANIAN

A. SILVER118

2. Bahram IV. 388–399 A.D. Uncertain mint. Dirhem.

Type of Paruck, nos. 284–286, pl. XIII. Obverse legend abbreviated and barbarous. Reverse: at l. ; at r. .

NR–2–57 25. Plate XIV

3. Bahram V. 420–438 A.D. No mint signature? Dirhem.

Semi-barbarous type somewhat comparable to Paruck, no. 318, pl. XIV. Obverse: illegible inscriptions r. and l. Reverse: no legible inscription, possible traces at r.

NR–2–51 30. Plate XIV

4. Hormizd IV. Year 5 = 583 A.D. NIH = Nihāvand. Dirhem.

Type of Paruck, nos. 343ff., pl. XX. Reverse: at r. ; at l .

NR–1–9/1 28 (fragmentary). Plate XIV

This mint signature has been identified by Walker (B.M. Arab-Sasanian, p. civ, no. 45). It is Paruck's no. 134. Göbl for some reason omits it.

5. Hormizd IV. Year 9 = 587 A.D. RD = Rayy. Dirhem.

Reverse: at r. ; at l. .

NR–1–9/2 27, 2.70 + (frg. lacking).

6. Khosrau II. Year 37 = 626 A.D. DR = Darabjird. Dirhem.

Usual type. Reverse: at r. ; at l. .

NR–1–9/12 32, 3.40.

The mint signature is Paruck's no. 78, Göbl's no. 32.

7. Khosrau II. Year 31 = 620 A.D. MR = Merv. Dirhem.

Usual type. Reverse: at r. ; at l. .

NR–1–9/10 28 (frgs. lacking).

The mint signature is Walker's no. 40a, Paruck's no. 110, Göbl's no. 47 (2nd variety).

8. Khosrau II. Year 33 = 622 A.D. MR = Merv. Dirhem.

Usual type. Reverse: at r. ; at l. .

NR–1–9/11 28, 2.81. Plate XIV

9. Khosrau II. Year 26? = 615 A.D.? NHR = Nahr-Tīrâ. Dirhem.

Usual type. Obverse: in 2nd quarter. Reverse: at r. ; at l. .

NR–1–9/8 33, 3.23 + (frg. lacking).

10. Khosrau II. Year 35 = 624 A.D. NHR = Nahr-Tīrâ. Dirhem.

Usual type, but in obverse margin, 2nd quarter: . Reverse: at r. ; at l. .

NR–2–15 33. Plate XV

Note the unusual marginal legend. The mint signature is apparently a variety of Paruck's no. 130, Walker's no. 44a, Göbl's no. 53, but at all events almost certainly NHR.

11. Khosrau II. Year 7 = 596 A.D. NH = Nihāvand. Dirhem.

Early "beardless" type. Reverse: at r. at l.

NR–1–9/3 31, 3.28 + (frg. lacking). Plate XV

The mint signature is Walker's no. 43 or 43a, Paruck's no. 130 or 131, Göbl's no. 51.

12. Khosrau II. Year 16 = 605 A.D. NIH = Nihāvand. Dirhem.

Usual type. Reverse: at r. ; at l. .

NR–1–9/5 AR 32, 3.37. Plate XV

For the mint signature, compare no. 4.

13. Khosrau II. Year 28 = 617 A.D. NH = Nihāvand. Dirhem.

Usual type. Reverse: at r. ; at l. .

NR–1–9/9 31, 3.12 + (small frg. lacking). Plate XV

For the mint signature, compare no. 11.

14. Khosrau II. Year 17 = 606 A.D. RD = Rayy. Dirhem.

Usual type. Reverse: at r. ; at l. .

NR–1–9/6 28, 2.97 +.

15. Khosrau II. Year 34? = 623 A.D.? ST = Iṣṭakhr. Dirhem.

Usual type, but in obverse margin, 2nd quarter: . Reverse: at r. ; at l. .

NR–2–38 24 (clipped). Plate XV

16. Khosrau II. Year 35 = 624 A.D. ŠR? = Shīrajān? Dirhem.

Usual type. Reverse: at r. ; at l. .

NR–1–9/7 31, 2.88 + (frgs. lacking). Plate XV

The mint signature is enigmatic. Perhaps comparable are Paruck's no. 2 (AB, Abrashahr?), his nos. 186 and 208 (uncertain attribution), Göbl's no. 64 and Walker's no. 49, Shīrājan. The latter seems to me the most likely identification. Shīrājan was the late Sasanian and early Islamic capital of Kirmān province.119

17. Khosrau II. 590–628 A.D. Date effaced, ZR = Zaranj. Dirhem.

Usual type. Reverse: at r. ; at l. obscure.

I–1–9/4 31, 3.60.

The mint signature is a variant of Paruck's nos. 248–251, Walker's no. 57 and Göbl's no. 73.

End Notes

118	Arranged chronologically by rulers, and alphabetically by mints within reigns.

B. BRONZE

18-20. Probably Khosrau II. 590–628 A.D. Bronze.

Three poorly preserved and obscure bronze coins with obverse bust resembling that of Khosrau II and reverse fire-altar and attendants; one (NR–1–45) possibly bearing the Iṣṭakhr mint signature.

NR–1–45 Æ 16.

51 Æ 27.

56 Æ 13.

21. Late Sasanian. 6th–7th c. A.D. Bronze.

Traces of bust?

Camel (?), walking r.

NR–1–49 Æ 17.

22-29. Late Sasanian. 6th–7th c. A.D. Bronze.

Obscure largely effaced coins recognizable by their fabric as late Sasanian but otherwise unidentifiable.

NR–1–46a Æ 20.

46b Æ 14.

58 Æ 18.

60 Æ 12.

NR–1–61 Æ 14.

62 Æ 13.

63 Æ 16.

NR–2–48 Æ 11.

End Notes

119	Cf. Miles, Kirmān.

III. ARAB-SASANIAN

A. SILVER
a) Anonymous

30. Anonymous (name of Yezdigird III). 20 Y.E.120 = 31 H. = 651/2 A.D. NHR = Nahr-Tīrâ. Dirhem.

Usual type of Yezdigird III, with name at right. In margin, 2nd quarter, traces of Kufic legend جيد (?).

Usual type. At r. ; at l. . Crescent l., star r. of flames.

NR–1–9/13 28, 2.35 + (clipped). Plate XV

Cf. B. M. Arab-Sasanian, p. 3, no. 2, which has بسم الله in the margin.

b) 'Abdullāh b. Zubayr

1. Ardashīr-Khurrah

31. 'Abdullāh b. Zubayr. 66 H. = 685/6 A.D. ART = Ardashīr-Khurrah. Dirhem.

Similar to B. M. Arab-Sasanian, p. 29, no. 1.14, except obverse margin: بسم الله. Reverse: at r. ; at l. . Star l., crescent r. of flames.

NR–1–9/16 32, 3.45. Plate XVI

2. Kirmān

32. 'Abdullāh b. Zubayr. 69 H. = 688/9 A.D. KRMNRMAN = Kirmān. Dirhem.

Similar to B. M. Arab-Sasanian, p. 32, no. 41, except different dies, no countermarks. Reverse: at r. ; at l. . Crescent l., star r. of flames.

NR–1–9/17 31, 3.61. Plate XVI

Mention of this specimen was made in Miles, Kirmān , footnote 16. The mint signature bears an unpublished variety of suffix, the meaning of which, like the numerous others at the Kirmān mint, is undetermined.121

End Notes

120	Yezdigird era.

c) Ziyād b. abi-Sufyān

33. Ziyād b. abi-Sufyān. 41 Y.E. = 53 H. = 672/3 A.D. DAP = Darabjird. Dirhem.

Similar to B. M. Arab-Sasanian, p. 40, no. 58, except mint signature . Star l., crescent r. of flames.

NR–1–9/14 31, 3.47. Plate XVI

Walker reads this variety of the Darabjird mint signature as DAR (his no. 18), but it would seem to me that DAP is a more likely reading.

d) ' Ubaydullāh b. Ziyād

34. 'Ubaydullāh b. Ziyād. 62 H. = 681/2 A.D. BJRA = al-Baṣrah. Dirhem.

Similar to B. M. Arab-Sasanian, p. 59, no. 88. Reverse: pellet r. of mint signature; at l. . Crescent l., pellet r. of flames.

NR–1–9/15 28, 2.31 + (frg. of rim lacking). Plate XVI

End Notes

121	Cf. Miles, Kirmān.

e) 'Umar b. 'Ubaydullāh
1. Bishāpūr

35-36. 'Umar b. 'Ubaydullāh. 67 H. = 686/7 A.D. BIŠ = Bishāpūr. Dirhem.

Similar to Iṣṭakhr Excavations, nos. 103–107, p. 26, above.

NR–1–9/18 31, 3.51.

9/19 32, 3.50. Plate XVI

37. The same. 68 H. = 687/8 A.D. BIŠ = Bishāpūr. Dirhem.

Similar to Iṣṭakhr Excavations, no. 108, p. 26, above.

NR–1–9/20 32, 3.62.

38. The same.

Similar to no. 37, but star l., crescent r. of flames, as on

B. M. Arab-Sasanian, no. 196.

NR–1–9/21 31, 3.45. Plate XVI

39-40. The same. 69 H. = 688/9 A.D. BIŠ = Bishāpūr. Dirhem.

Similar to B. M. Arab-Sasanian, p. 100, no. 197, except: mint signature no. 12b, and date written . Star l., crescent r. of flames.

NR–1–9/22 31, 3.61.

9/23 31, 345. Plate XVI

41-45. The same. 70 H. = 689/90 A.D. BIŠ = Bishāpūr. Dirhem.

Similar to Iṣṭakhr Excavations, nos. 109–134, p. 27, above.

NR–1–9/26 31, 3.52.

9/27 30, 3.47. Plate XVII

9/28 30, 2.87 + (clipped).

9/31 31, 3.20.

9/32 31, 3.30. Plate XVII

(9/36 32, 3.48).122 Plate XVII

46. The same.

Similar to nos. 41–45, but date written .

NR–1–9/33 31, 2.85 + (frg. lacking).

47-48. The same.

Similar to nos. 41–45, but no pellet before لله in obverse margin.

NR–1–9/29 31, 3.48 + (piece lacking). Plate XVII

9/30 31, 3.10. Plate XVII

2. Uncertain Mint

49. The same. 69 H. = 688/9 A.D. VIŠP or NIŠP or NIŠČ, etc.? Dirhem.

Similar to B. M. Arab-Sasanian, p. 102, no. B.35, but obverse margin: لله الحمد . Reverse: at r. Star l., crescent r. of flames.

NR–1–9/24 32, 3.40. Plate XVII

50. The same.

Similar to no. 49, but mint written: .

NR–1–9/25 32, 348. Plate XVII

The mint signature is a puzzle. The letters can be read in many different ways. Walker (B. M. Arab-Sasanian, p. civ, no. 45a and p. cxxv) reads NIH (?) for Nihāvand, but I find it difficult to accept this interpretation. Could it by any chance be a rendering of the old Pahlevi name of Bishāpūr, that is, Wēh-Shāhpuhr? The fact that all the other coins of 'Umar b. 'Ubaydullāh in this hoard were struck at the mint of Bishāpūr might lend some support to this suggestion.123 The only other known example of this mint signature is on a coin of 'Umar b. 'Ubaydullāh, year 72 (?).124

End Notes

122	This coin, now among those belonging to the Oriental Institute, was found in the envelope marked NR–1–9/36, but the field inventory card for this number (prepared by the writer in 1936) describes a coin of Qaṭari (see no. 53, below). Obviously at some point two coins and envelopes were switched. In order to keep the number of specimens correct I have counted only five specimens of this issue, as one of the others listed above (now in Teheran) may actually be the one now in envelope 9/36.

f) 'Aṭīyah b. al-Aswad

51. 'Aṭīyah b. al-Aswad. 73 H. = 692/3 A.D. KRMAN-RB (?) = Kirmān. Dirhem.

Usual bust. At r.:

In margin:

• بسم الله ولى الامر

Usual fire-altar and attendants. At r.: ; at l. . Star l., crescent r. of flames.

NR–1–9/34 31, 3.38. Plate XVIII

Cf. B. M. Arab-Sasanian, p. 111, no. I.45, dated 73 or 76 (?), with a different mint suffix. Here we have still another variety of these mysterious appended letters. Cf. no. 32, above.

This specimen was mentioned and illustrated in Miles, Kirmān, footnote 22, plate, 3.

52. The same. 74 H. = 693/4 A.D. KRMAN-NHR = Kirmān. Dirhem.

Similar to no. 51, but in 3rd quarter of obverse margin: . Reverse: at r. ; at l. .

NR–1–9/35 31, 3.72.

Cf. B. M. Arab-Sasanian, p. 111, no. Th.15, and RIC, no. 29, which however lack the Pahlevi legend in the 3rd quarter of the obverse and have mint signature KRMAN (Walker's no. 28). The mint signature here appears to be similar to Walker's no. 34. The present specimen was mentioned in Miles, Kirmān, footnote 22. An unpublished specimen is a recent American Numismatic Society accession (ANS 57.84) with in the 3rd quarter of the obverse and mint signature (Walker's no. 33).

End Notes

123	If the first letter is N, the abbreviation might be for Nāshāpūr, which according to Mustawfi was a form of the name Bishāpūr (Le Strange, p. 263).
124	Miles, Museum Notes VII, no. 37.

g) Qaṭari b. al-Fujā'ah

53. 125 Qaṭari b. al-Fujā'ah. 75 H. = 694/5 A.D. DARTM or DARAWM = Darabjird. Dirhem.

Similar to B. M. Arab-Sasanian, p. 113, no. 220, but mint signature appears to be: .

NR–1–9/36 30, 3.70.

The mint signature is reproduced here from my own transcription of it in the field. It is possible that the letter which I read as a t is blurred and actually is the same as the element on the B.M. specimen, i.e., AW. Unfortunately there is no photograph of the coin and it is presumably in the Teheran Museum. An unpublished specimen in the American Numismatic Society (ANS 56.137) has . Another variety of the same mint and date (with mint signature DA apparently) has been described since the publication of B.M. Arab-Sasanian.126

Both John Walker and I127 are mistaken in furnishing Qaṭari's name with the definite article. The legend of course does not have it, and he is simply Qaṭari in the chronicles.128

End Notes

125	This is the coin which originally bore the field number NR–1–9/36. Cf. footnote 122, above.
126	T. O. Mabbott in Numismatic Review IV (1947), p. 28, not illustrated.
127	Miles, Museum Notes VII, p. 203.
128	I owe this observation to G. Levi Delia Vida.

B. BRONZE
a) Iṣṭakhr

54. Uncertain governor. Ca. 70–90 H. = ca. 689–709 A.D. Iṣṭakhr. Bronze.

Facing head, bearded. Cross above headdress. At r. ; at l. , and above it (?). Beaded border.

In center, uncertain figure, possibly a large tall M, with beneath base line. At r. ; at l. (APSTAN). Beaded border.

NR–2–2 Æ 20. Plate XVIII

This very interesting coin is unique. The occurrence of the Byzantine cross and M on hybrid Arab-Sasanian bronzes is however not without parallel: cf. Walker, Coins from Susa, nos. 6, 13, 15. The almost complete spelling out of the mint name is met with on two specimens found in the Iṣṭakhr excavations (nos. 146–147, above, p. 35), where also a cross is present above the reverse type, APSTAN, for apastān, is an important addition to the limited Pahlevi vocabulary of Arab-Sasanian numismatics. There can be little doubt about the correctness of the reading, which I owe to my friend Professor Richard N. Frye. The word is common on Sasanian seals,129 the meaning essentially being, "refuge, confidence, faith,"130 I would suggest that here the sense is identical with the Arabic al-wafā', which already appears on some Arab-Byzantine bronzes,131 and soon occurs frequently on bronze coins of pure Arab type,132 as well as on glass weights.133

End Notes

129	P. Horn & G. Steindorff, Sassanidische Siegelsteine (Berlin, 1891), pp. 37–38.
130	Cf. apastām, "Zuflucht," H. S. Nyberg, Hilfsbuch des Pehlevi II (Uppsala, 1931), p. 16; apestī, Paruck, p. 274.
131	B. M. Arab-Byzantine, p. 51.
132	E.g., at al-Rayy in 101, 104, 110 and 116 H. (NHR, nos. 26–28, 30); and for others, with or without mint name, cf. B. M. Arab-Byzantine, index.
133	G. C. Miles, Contributions to Arabic Metrology, I (ANS Numismatic Notes and Monographs, No. 141, N.Y., 1958), index.

b) Uncertain Mint

55. Anonymous, 11x H. (?) = 728–737 A.D. (?). Mint effaced. Bronze.

Crude bust, r., with tall headdress. On breast . At l., downward محمد; at r., downward (faint) رسول الله. Across face, upward محمد. Double beaded border.

لا اله الا

الله وحده

...لا شريك

Margin: و مئة (⸮) عشر.....بسم الله

Beaded border with annulets (?).

NR–2–3b Æ 21. Plate XVIII

It is a great pity that the reverse of this truly remarkable coin is not completely preserved so that the mint and exact date can be fixed. The word عشر is fairly certain, placing the issue probably in the teens of the 2nd century of the Hijrah; at all events it is after 99 H., because مئة is entirely clear. The combination of a bust of Sasanian inspiration (though no longer the "bust of Khosrau II") with a developed conventional post-reform reverse (one would normally call it the obverse since it bears the first part of the shahadah and the mint-date formula, but I have given precedence to the bust) presents an advanced stage of transitional hybrid. It would be interesting to know whether or not the word محمد across the face is a counterstamp or is on the die itself. Despite the fact that there appears to be no corresponding protuberance on the other side of the coin, I would judge that the word is a counterstamp and that it was intentionally applied to mutilate the face, which one may assume had by this time become distasteful to strict partisans of the nascent Islamic iconoclastic sentiment.

For coins with a somewhat similar bust in combination with a post-reform legend, cf. Iṣṭakhr Excavations, nos. 155–159, P. 38, above.

56. Uncertain. Ca. 80–120 H. = ca. 699–738 A.D. Uncertain mint. Bronze.

An obscure coin with 2 or 3-line legends on each face, the characters either Pahlevi or possibly Kufic engraved by a Pahlevi-writing artisan.

NR–1–59 Æ 22. Plate XVIII

IV. POST-REFORM UMAYYAD

a) Iṣṭakhr

57. Anonymous. 130 H. = 747/8 A.D. Iṣṭakhr. Fals.

Similar to Iṣṭakhr Excavations, nos. 185–189, p. 45 above, but there are evidences on both sides that the specimen was restruck on an earlier coin.

NR–2–30 Æ 21. Plate XVIII

b) Wāsiṭ

58. Anonymous. 124 H. = 741/2 A.D. Wāsiṭ. Fals.

لا اله الا

الله وحده لا

شريك له

Double linear border enclosing 5 annulets; outer broad linear border.

محمد

رسول

الله

Margin: بسم الله ضرب هذا الفلس

بواسط سنة اربع و عشرين ومئة

Linear border enclosing area; linear border with 3 (of 5?) half annulets enclosing margin; outer broad linear border.

NR–1–48 Æ 20, 2.78. Plate XVIII

Cf. Iṣṭakhr Excavations, nos. 199–200, p. 48, above, probably the same, but obverse effaced.

c) Uncertain Mint

59. Uncertain governor. Ca. 100–132 H. = ca. 718–750 A.D. Fals.

Usual formulae, no significant legends preserved.

NR–1–55 Æ 19.

V. 'ABBĀSID

a) Ardashīr-Khurrah (?)

60. Uncertain governor or anonymous. Date effaced. Mid–2nd. c. H. = ca. 750–790 A.D. Ardashīr-Khurrah (?). Fals.

Effaced except for obverse margin: ...ضرب هذا...(⸮)...باردشـ.

NR–1–52 Æ 20.

b) Fasā

61. The Caliph al-mahdi and Nuṣayr. No date. 158–169 H. = 775–785 A.D. Fasā. Fals.

Similar to Iṣṭakhr Excavations, nos. 554–561, p. 73, above.

NR–2–3a Æ 20. Plate XVIII

c) Kūrat al-mahdīyah min Fārs

62-63. Anonymous. 161 H. = 777/8 A.D. Kūrat al-mahdīyah min Fārs. Fals.

Similar to Iṣṭakhr Excavations, nos. 603–608, p. 76, above, except that beneath obverse, ornament or letter:

NR–1–50 Æ 23, 2.30. Plate XVIII

2–1 Æ 23. Plate XVIII

c) Madīnat al-Salām

64. Anonymous. 213 H. = 828/9 A.D. Madīnat al-Salām. Dirhem.

Similar to Berlin, no. 1413.

NR–1–54 28 (frg., ½). Plate XVIII

e) Mint Effaced

65. Uncertain governor. 15X = 768–776 A.D. Mint effaced. Fals.

Margin: .... (⸮)مما امر به

Margin within dotted borders.

Margin: ....بسم الله ضرب هذ

ـسين ومئة....

Margin within inner dotted border and outer beaded border. Annulets?

NR–2–50 Æ 21.

66. The Caliph al-mahdi. 16x = 777–786 A.D. Mint effaced. Fals.

لا اله الا

الله وحده

لا شريك له

Five annulets between thin inner and thick outer linear borders.

الخليفة [المهدي؟]ـ

محمد

امير المؤمنين

Margin: بسم الله.... ستين و مئة

NR–2–3C Æ 18.

67. Unidentifiable, probably 'Abbāsid. 2nd c. H. = 8th c. A.D. Fals.

Almost completely obliterated.

NR–1–47 Æ 19.

VI. ILKHĀNID

68. Abu-Sa'īd. No date. 716–736 H. = 1316–1336 A.D. Mint effaced. Bronze.

Within polygonal frame surrounded by linear border and border of dots:

بو

ا سعيد

بهادر

Traces of ornament or legend.

NR–2–17 Æ 20. Plate XVIII

Cf. Persepolis Terrace Excavations, no. 9, p. 87, above.

VII. ILKHĀNID OR SUCCESSOR

69. Uncertain ruler. Date effaced. 8th c. H. = 14th c. A.D. Uncertain mint. Bronze.

Within square enclosed by circle:

لا اله الا

الله محمد

رسول الله

In center, within circle:

.....

ضر

Margin: ....(⸮)سلطان....

Outer linear border.

NR–2–59 Æ 21. Plate XVIII

VIII. MUẒAFFARID

70. Shāh Shujā'. No date. 765–786 H. = 1363–1384 A.D. Shīrāz. Bronze.

Within double linear border and outer border of dots:

Within double linear border:

شاه

شجاع

(⸮)عا...

شيراز

NR–2–26 Æ 16. Plate XVIII

Evidently unpublished.

71. The same. Shīrāz. Bronze.

Within polygon (?):

......

السلطان المطاع

شجاع

Within double square:

عدلية

شيراز

NR–2–54 Æ 21. Plate XVIII

This type also evidently is unpublished. The title al-mutā' is present on published silver coins of Shāh Shujā'.134

UNIDENTIFIABLE ISLAMIC

72. Coin or token of 9th c. H. (?) = 15th c. A.D. (?). Bronze.

.......

و العز الدئم

.......

Linear border and outer border of dots.

Negative impression of obverse.

NR–1–57 Æ 18.

73. Unidentified Islamic. Bronze.

No field record other than "Islamic."

NR–2–12 Æ 18.

End Notes

134	Cf. B.M. vi, nos. 671 ff.

INVENTORY OF FIELD CATALOGUE NUMBERS IṢṬAKHR

Field No.	Numismatic Cat. No.
I–I–17	391
31	623
34	633
55	623
63	344
63a	146
63b	237
67a	31
67b	866
71	633
75	391
81	160
89	603
92	391
93	31
96	866
97	611
100	180
102	581
105	21
113	391
114	180
116	31
117	199
119	603
120	237
126	237
127	581
131	370
136	633
142	31
143	143
145	258
I–1–146	633
148	31
149	138
150	173
160	391
166	146
168	202
170	180
179	623
181	258
184	633
186	391
189	258
191	258
193	154
197	633
199	391
203	614
205	31
210	391
211	258
220	29
220a	31
225	237
226	31
230	202
231	31
241	633
241a	633
242	180
242a	180
243	258
243a	31
I–1–243b	22
245	176
248	31
252	391
252a	178
257	364
267	31
276	344
278	258
281	155
282	633
283	633
284	554
290	633
291	866
295	202
300	391
301	370
302	633
306	633
307	370
312	633
312a	344
313	258
315	510
318	258
319	202
319a	633
321	164
322	157
325	24
333	258
335	370
I–1–336	258
337	31
339	23
341	633
344	633
354	391
355	864
358	581
359	31
363	633
364	319
366	391
370	24
372	258
376	490
380	581
382	370
385	31
386	471
388	633
389	633
393	633
394	202
406	258
407	185
407a	581
407b	581
412	623
413	31
414	633
424	31
425	391
425a	866

Field No.	Numismatic Cat. No.
I–1–436	31
462	581
464	603
468	581
474	633
475	581
477	633
481	258
484	258
485	258
511	151
515	562
516	391
519	633
521	391
529	633
545	603
561	391
562	562
572	31
573	31
575	202
591	31
598	31
602	522
604	391
626	173
626a	258
627	31
629	31
631	31
635	24
643	855
645	391
646	258
647	31
652	31
653	562
654	185
655	554
655a	31
I–1–655b	391
657	383
657a	383
658	633
659	258
660	202
882	24
883	31
884	391
885	138
886	202
887	391
889	633
890	202
892	258
893	344
893a	391
894	2
895	327
896	258
897	16
898	633
901	391
902	391
903	190
905	562
906	344
906a	633
907	15
908	633
908a	633
909	151
910	157
911a	3
911b	4
911C	4
911d	4
911e	4
911f	8
911g	8
911h	8
I–1–911i	8
911j	8
912	562
912a	633
913	633
914	13
916	202
918	24
919	391
919a	472
921	633
927	142
928/1	103
928/2	103
928/3	103
928/4	103
928/5	103
928/6	108
928/7	108
928/8	109
928/9	109
928/10	109
928/11	109
928/12	109
928/13	109
928/14	109
928/15	109
928/16	109
928/17	109
928/18	109
928/19	109
928/20	109
928/21	109
928/22	109
928/23	109
928/24	109
928/25	109
928/26	109
928/27	109
928/28	109
928/29	109
I–1–928/30	109
928/31	109
928/32	109
928/33	109
929	391
929a	472
929b	391
932	478
933	866
934	383
935	554
935a	391
936	364
937	370
938	499
938a	150
940	31
941	30
942	31
943	31
948	391
1–2–13	866
114	866
249	177
278	633
542	861
1515	866
1516a	31
1516b	633
1518	196
1519	616
1520/1	866
1520/2	633
1520/3	510
1520/4	633
1520/5	258
1520/6	258
1520/7	478
1520/8	633
1520/9	633
1520/10	866

Field No.	Numismatic Cat. No.
I–2–1520/11	633
1520/12	522
1520/13	510
1520/14	633
1520/15	562
1520/16	633
1520/17	633
1520/18	522
1520/19	633
1520/20	866
1520/21	633
1520/22	633
1520/23	522
1520/24	866
1520/25	633
1520/26	522
1520/27	498
1520/28	562
1520/29	522
1520/30	522
1520/31	866
1520/32	522
1520/33	633
1520/34	522
1520/35	327
1520/36	630
1520/37	522
1520/38	633
1520/39	258
1520/40	522
1520/41	633
1520/42	866
1520/43	633
1520/44	633
1520/45	633
1520/46	522
1520/47	522
1520/48	522
1520/49	522
1520/50	327
1520/51	510
I–2–1520/52	866
1520/53	258
1520/54	510
1520/55	633
1520/56	172
1520/57	258
1520/58	522
1520/59	633
1520/60	633
1520/61	510
1520/62	179
1520/63	478
1520/64	633
1520/65	490
1520/66	522
1520/67	866
1520/68	522
1520/69	617
1520/70	383
1520/71	522
1520/72	633
1520/73	522
1520/74	522
1521	237
1522	31
1523	633
1524	866
1525	391
1526a	165
1526b	633
1527	185
1528	14
1529	237
1530	562
1531	866
1532	866
1533	554
1534	633
1535a	163
1535b	522
1535c	258
I–2–1536a	633
1536b	231
1537	633
1538a	866
1538b	609
1538c	633
1539	633
1540	866
1541	633
1542	156
1543	319
1544a	340
1544b	237
1545a	866
1545b	633
1545c	866
1546	237
1547a	230
1547b	88
1547c	866
1548	866
1549	20
1550	391
1551	237
1552a	866
1552b	499
1553	866
1554	581
1555	504
1556a	237
1556b	633
1556c	490
1557a	478
1557b	866
1558	344
1559	866
1560	633
1561	323
1562	31
1563	31
1564	1
I–2–1565	31
1566	31
1567	866
1568	633
1569	364
1570	369
1571	633
1572	633
1573	603
1574	581
1575	202
1576	31
1577a	31
1577b	866
1578	148
1579	144
1580	866
1581	88
1582	477
1583	615
1584	258
1585	851
1586	633
1587	383
1588	612
1589	324
1590	339
1591	344
1592a	865
1592b	581
1593	344
1594	202
1595	633
1596	145
1597	866
1598	344
1599a	237
1599b	866
1600a	31
1600b	633
1601	866

Field No.	Numismatic Cat. No.
I–2–1602	31
1603a	344
1603b	866
1604	31
1605	866
1606a	88
1606b	520
1607	866
1608	633
1609	633
1610	562
1611	391
1612	506
1613	866
1614	370
1615	633
1616	633
1617	633
1618	866
1619	196
1620	581
1621	391
1622a	633
1622b	866
1622c	562
1622d	633
1622e	866
1623	866
1624	391
1625a	633
1625b	31
1626a	866
1626b	522
1627a	344
1627b	633
1628	866
1629	633
1630	866
1631	633
1632	866
1633	88
I–2–1634	866
1635a	633
1635b	478
1636	866
1637	866
1638	633
1639	327
1640	633
1641a	866
1641b	478
1641c	327
1641d	633
1642	866
1643	391
1644	866
1645	623
1646	633
1647	391
1648	633
1649	633
1650	866
1651a	201
1651b	391
1651c	391
1652	340
1653	136
1654	633
1655	581
1656	866
1657	853
1658	522
1659	633
1660	633
1661	327
1662	633
1663a	633
1663b	31
1664	391
1665	866
1666	613
1667a	391
I–2–1667b	633
1668	866
1669a	866
1669b	866
1670	633
1671a	866
1671b	562
1672	505
1673a	866
1673b	327
1674	859
1675	633
1676	866
1677	866
1678	337
1679	478
1680	522
1681a	866
1681b	633
1682a	474
1682b	866
1683	633
1684a	863
1684b	633
1685a	866
1685b	258
1685c	866
1686a	622
1686b	633
1687a	521
1687b	866
1687c	633
1687d	633
1687e	633
1687f	866
1688a	633
1688b	554
1689	562
1690a	633
1690b	633
1690c	866
I–2–1690d	510
1691a	866
1691b	633
1691c	581
1691d	633
1692a	866
1692b	522
1692c	391
1692d	391
1692e	866
1693a	633
1693b	866
1693c	633
1693d	633
1693e	866
1693f	317
1694a	258
1694b	866
1694c	633
1694d	866
1695	562
1696a	866
1696b	391
1697	391
1698	633
1699	633
1700a	510
1700b	554
1701a	258
1701b	623
1702	391
1703a	866
1703b	391
1703c	633
1703d	633
1703e	633
1704	370
1705	633
1706	344
1707	633
1708a	866

Field No.	Numismatic Cat. No.
I–2–1708b	633
1708c	866
1709	258
1710	31
1711a	391
1711b	88
1712	391
1713	633
1714	866
1715	88
1716	866
1717	633
1718a	866
1718b	866
1719	633
1720a	866
1720b	633
1721	866
1722	853
1723a	391
1723b	633
1723c	866
1724a	633
1724b	391
1724c	866
1725	198
1726a	258
1726b	478
1726c	88
1727	137
1728	138
1729a	581
1729b	324
1729c	633
1730	633
1731a	391
1731b	391
1731C	866
1731d	391
1731e	490
1731f	317
I–2–1732	102
1733	633
1734a	866
1734b	581
1735	138
1736a	866
1736b	202
1737	391
1738a	237
1738b	202
1739	191
1740	581
1741	391
1742a	866
1742b	194
1743a	364
1743b	866
1744	499
1745	391
1746	633
1747	866
1748	866
1749	633
1750	866
1751	195
1752	370
1753	202
1754a	391
1754b	391
1755	167
1756	603
1757	866
1758a	258
1758b	866
1758c	499
1759	633
1760	858
1761	619
1762a	237
1762b	327
1762c	522
I–2–1763a	859
1763b	866
1764	237
1765	202
1766	31
1767	370
1768	633
1769a	866
1769b	866
1769c	202
1769d	258
1770	866
1771a	391
1771b	258
1772a	866
1772b	633
1772c	633
1772d	522
1772e	167
1773	866
1774	503
1775	258
1776	866
1777	202
1778	490
1779a	633
1779b	510
1780a	866
1780b	633
1780c	633
1780d	316
1780e	619
1780f	633
1781	633
1782	202
1783	319
1784	31
1785a	167
1785b	88
1785c	866
1785d	88
I–2–1785e	31
1786	167
1787	866
1788a	18
1788b	633
1789	866
1790	135
1791b	88
1791d	31
1792a	88
1792b	31
1793a	162
1793b	167
1794	866
1795a	31
1795b	160
1796a	31
1796b	88
1797	88
1798	31
1799	319
1800	370
1801	633
1802	258
1803	191
1804	185
1805a	202
1805b	391
1806	633
1807	391
1808a	633
1808b	231
1809	866
1810	202
1811a	862
1811b	478
1812	202
1813	633
1814	562
1815	633
1816	633

Field No.	Numismatic Cat. No.
I–2–1817	623
1818	490
1819	866
1820a	258
1820b	633
1820c	866
1820d	522
1821	554
1822a	391
1822b	866
1822c	633
1823	633
1824	866
1825	633
1826	633
1827a	866
1827b	633
1827c	866
1828a	633
1828b	633
1828c	258
1828d	866
1829	633
1830	866
1831	633
1832	866
1833a	633
1833b	866
1833c	633
1834	866
1835	165
1836a	866
1836b	344
1837	258
1838a	633
1838b	185
1838c	866
1838a	391
1839a	258
1839b	866
1840	490
I–2–1841	231
1842	866
1843	344
1844	633
1845	866
1846a	364
1846b	633
1847a	633
1847b	562
1848	633
1849a	866
1849b	631
1850	562
1851	619
1852a	866
1852b	258
1853a	490
1853b	391
1853c	866
1854	202
1855	391
1856	633
1857a	489
1857b	633
1858a	866
1858b	633
1859a	202
1859b	633
1859c	258
1859d	866
1860	633
1861	391
1862	633
1863a	866
1863b	258
1864a	866
1864b	370
1864c	327
1864d	633
1865	866
1866	258
I–2–1867a	866
1867b	633
1867c	866
1867d	633
1868	478
1869	633
1870	344
1871	866
1872a	391
1872b	258
1873a	866
1873b	258
1874	391
1875a	633
1875b	554
1876a	633
1876b	866
1876c	202
1876d	633
1877	633
1878a	633
1878b	633
1879a	866
1879b	237
1879c	866
1879d	344
1880a	633
1880b	633
1881a	391
1881b	866
1881c	344
1882	866
1883	258
1884	866
1885a	581
1885b	581
1886a	237
1886b	631
1887	581
1888	633
1889	866
I–2–1890	391
1891	633
1892	237
1893a	866
1893b	866
1894	17
1895	633
1896	391
1897	340
1898a	633
1898b	391
1899	633
1900	866
1901	850
1902	866
1903	508
1904	866
1905	633
1906	202
1907	866
1908a	474
1908b	633
1908c	633
1909	633
1910	633
1911a	866
1911b	866
1911c	633
1911d	633
1911e	866
1912	562
1913	866
1914	633
1915	866
1916	474
1917	866
1918	258
1919	153
1920	866
1921	553
1922	258

Field No.	Numismatic Cat. No.
I–2–1923	866
1924a	633
1924b	391
1925	633
1926	866
1927	633
1928a	610
1928b	866
1929	633
1930	506
1931	866
1932	633
1933a	866
1933b	370
1934	236
1935	256
1936	31
1937	391
1938	256
1939a	633
1939b	866
1939c	258
1940	173
1941	344
1942	31
I–2–1943a	258
1943b	866
1944a	866
1944b	866
1945	237
1946	866
1947	258
1948	159
1949	383
1950	866
1951	633
1952	855
1953	866
1954	193
1955	337
1956	866
1957	617
1958	857
1959	344
1960	522
1961a	391
1961b	866
1962a	344
1963	383
1964	866
I–2–1965a	202
1965b	633
1966a	522
1966b	633
1967a	391
1967b	478
1968	199
1969	562
1970	231
1971	391
1971a	633
1972	866
1973a	581
1973b	231
1974a	18
1974b	866
1975	326
1976	391
1977b	510
1977c	258
1978	866
1979a	633
1979b	866
1980a	633
1980b	202
I–2–1981	866
1982	258
1983	866
1984	391
1985	633
1986	562
1987	88
1988	391
1989a	327
1989b	633
1990	633
1991	148
1992	852
1993	633
1994	31
1995	258
1996	237
1997	508
1998	340
1999a	633
1999b	633
2000	633
2001	383
2002	258
HL 96 ref.	581

PERSEPOLIS TERRACE

PT–3–6	19
10	11
14	14
18	11
19	11
PT–5–16	16
64	1
373a	2
373b	3
388	4
PT–5–436	18
838	8
839	17
840	15
845	10
PT–7–212	7
227	9
360	5
372	5

NAQSH-I RUSTAM

Field No.	Numismatic Cat. No.
NR–1–9/1	4
9/2	5
9/3	11
9/4	17
9/5	12
9/6	14
9/7	16
9/8	9
9/9	13
9/10	7
9/11	8
9/12	6
9/13	30
9/14	33
9/15	34
9/16	31
9/17	32
9/18	35
9/19	35
NR–1–9/20	37
9/21	38
9/22	39
9/23	39
9/24	49
9/25	50
9/26	41
9/27	41
9/28	41
9/29	47
9/30	47
9/31	41
9/32	41
9/33	46
9/34	51
9/35	52
9/36	41,53
45	18
46a	22
NR–1–46b	22
47	67
48	58
49	21
50	62
51	18
52	60
53	1
54	64
55	59
56	18
57	72
58	22
59	56
60	22
61	22
62	22
63	22
NR–2–1	62
2	54
3a	61
3b	55
3c	66
12	73
15	10
17	68
26	70
30	57
38	15
48	22
50	65
51	3
54	71
57	2
59	69

BACK

INDEX OF DATES

ca. 310–300 B.C. 19
ca. 1st c. A.D. 20–1
1st or 2nd c. A.D. 22
2nd c. A.D. 22
ca. 200 A.D. 91
ca. 210–226 A.D. 22
224–241 A.D. 85
ca. 293 A.D. 23
388–399 A.D. 91
420–438 A.D. 91
558 or 559 A.D. 24
581 A.D. 43
583 A.D. 92
587 A.D. 92
590–628 A.D. 24–5, 94
596 A.D. 93
6th–7th c. A.D. 25, 95
605 A.D. 93
606 A.D. 93
ca. 610–613 A.D. 43
615 A.D. 92
617 A.D. 93
620 A.D. 85, 92
622 A.D. 92
623 A.D. 94
624 A.D. 93–4
626 A.D. 92
31 H. 95
ca. 50–80 H. 39–40
53 H. 96
ca. 60–80 H. 37, 40
ca. 60–85 H. 40, 42
ca. 60–90 H. 35
62 H. 96
63 H. 85
ca. 63–72 H. 28
66 H. 95
67 H. 26, 97
68 H. 25–6, 97
69 H. 97–8
6X H. 28
70 H. 27, 97–8
ca. 70–90 H. 101
73 H. 99
74 H. 99
75 H. 100
ca. 75–78 H. 28–9
ca. 80–85 H. 32–3
ca. 80–100 H. 36, 42
ca. 80–110 H. 37
ca. 80–120 H. 103
ca. 80–132 H. 51
81 H. 45
86–96 H. 38
ca. 90–120 H. 43, 49–50
ca. 90–132 H. 51
93 H. 48
ca. 100–132 H. 46, 86, 104
104 H. 44
114 H. 48
116 H. 48
11X H. 102
121 H. 48
124 H. 48, 103
126 H. 49
ca. 127–132 H. 51
ca. 129 H. 44
130 H. 45, 47, 103
132 H. 66
ca. 132–160 H. 57
ca. 132–200 H. 64
133 H. 57
1X6 H. 79
140 H. 58, 64
141 H. 64
145 H. 53, 58
149 H. 59
mid–2nd c. H. 104
156 H. 79
158–169 H. 73, 80, 104
1X5 H. 56
159 H. 60
15X H. 105
161 H. 75–6, 104
162 H. 78
ca. 164–165 H. 68
166 H. 78, 80
167 H. 54–5, 60–2, 69, 86
16X H. 105
170 H. 78
171 H. 87
180 or 18X H. 52
182 H. 55, 63, 65, 75, 80
183 H. 70
184 H. 71
190 H. 79
191 H. 68
192 H. 71
193 H. 78
198 H. 81
2nd c. H. 81, 87, 105
201 H. 71
205 H. 73
213 H. 105
232–247 H. 81
256–279 H. 81
272 H. 81
3rd c. H. 81–2
323 H. 79
3XX H. 82
38X H. 82
Late 4th–early 5th c. H. 83
ca. 5th c. H. 83
ca. 700–750 H. 88
716–736 H. 87, 106
730 H. 83
737 H. 88
740–744 H. 84
765–786 H. 88, 106–7
ca. 790–800 H. 89
8th c. H. 106
after 8th c. H. 90
9th c. H. 107
11th–12th c. H. 90
12th–13th c. H. 84, 89–90
1250–1264 H. 84

INDEX OF MINTS AND PLACES 1

Abarqubādh 65
al-'Abbāsīyah 87
Adharbayjān 55, 74
al-Ahwāz 53, 64, 69
Antioch 43
Ardashīr-Khurrah 24, 25, 26, 34, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 62–3, 66, 70, 75, 77–8, 95, 104
Armīnīyah (Armenia) 55, 74
Arrajān 52, 65, 77
Arrān 55
ART 24, 95

Baḥrayn 69
Balkh 65, 67
al-Baṣrah 31, 44, 53, 69, 74, 96
Birāmqubādh 64, 65
Bishāpūr 25, 26, 27, 31, 34, 41, 46, 69, 97, 98, 99
BIŠ 25, 26, 27, 97, 98
BJRA 96
Bukhārā 82

Constantinople 43

DAP 96
Darabjird 74, 77, 92, 96, 100
DARAWM 100
DARTM 100
Dijlah 69
DR 92
Dujayl 89

Elymais 22–3

Fārs 47, 52–3, 69, 73, 74
Fasā 56, 63, 70, 73, 74, 75, 80, 104
Filāsṭīn 55
Fīrūzābād 53, 77
al-Furaḍ 69

Gōr 53

Idhaj 88
Irān 84
Irmīnīyah 55
Iṣfahān 84
Iṣṭakhr 24, 25, 28, 29, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37, 44, 45, 47, 50, 53, 55–6, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 68, 70, 72, 75, 77, 86, 94, 101, 103

Jayy 67, 68
Jür 53–4, 55, 76, 77

Kabīr Shaykh 84, 88
Kazīrūn 66–7
Khurāsān 30, 72
Khuzistān 89
Kirmān 34, 85, 94, 96, 99
KRMAN 100
KRMAN-RB 99
KRMAN-NHR 99
KRMNRMAN 96
al-Kūfah 44–5
Kūrat al-mahdīyah min Fārs 54–5, 75, 76, 77, 104

Macedonia 19
Ma'din al-Shāsh 79
Madīnat al-Salām 74, 78, 79, 80, 105
Māl-Amīr (Malamir) 89
al-mawṣil (Mosul) 53, 74
Mecca 77
Merv 67, 92
MR 92
al-muḥammadīyah 77, 78

Nahr-Tīrâ 92, 93, 95
Nāshāpūr 99
NH 93

NHR 92, 93, 95
NIH 24, 92, 93, 99
Nihāvand 24, 92, 93, 99
NIŠČ 98
NIŠP 98

Persis 19–22, 91

Ratīn River 66
al-Rayy 56, 77, 92, 93, 101
RD 92, 93
Rūd-i Ḥilla 66

Sābūr 45, 46, 56, 63, 68, 69, 70, 71, 75, 77, 86
Samarqand 71
Shāpūr 30, 39
Shaykh-i Kabīr 84, 88
Shīrajān 85, 94
Shīrāz 31, 44–5, 47, 53, 66, 71, 72–4, 77, 89, 106, 107
Shūsh 33–4, 41
Sijistān 55
ST 24, 25, 28, 29, 32, 33, 35, 36, 94
STKHR 35, 101
Susa 19
ŠI 85
ŠR 94

Ṭabaristān 55
Tanbūk 52
TART 25
Tawwaj 66, 67, 74
al-Taymarah 67
Tustar 89

'Umān 69

VIŠP 98

Wāsiṭ 48, 49, 79, 103
Weh-Shāhpuhr 99

Zaranj 85, 86, 94
ZR 85, 94
No Mint Name 20, 21, 22, 23, 37, 38, 43, 49, 50, 79, 85, 91
Mint Name Effaced 24, 25, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42, 51, 52, 59, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 87, 88, 90, 91, 94, 95, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107

End Notes

1	The pages on which excavation coins of a given mint are described appear here in bold face type.

INDEX OF PERSONAL NAMES

'Abd al-Raḥmān b. Muḥammad b. al-Ash 'ath 32–3, 41
'Abd al-Raḥmān b. Ziyād 65
'Abdullāh al-Ṣaffāḥ (abu'l-'Abbās) 57, 66–7
'Abdullāh b. Mu'āwiyah 67
'Abdullāh b. al-musayyib 71–2
'Abdullāh b. 'Umar b. 'Abd al-'Aziz 44
'Abdullāh b. Zubayr 28, 85–6, 95
Abu-Muslim 51, 67
Abu-Sa'īd 83, 87, 106
Aḥmad b. 'Abd al-'Azīz 47
Aḥmad b. Manṣūr 82
Alexander III 19
al-Amīn 65
Ardashir I 22, 85
Artaxerxes I (Sasanian) 22, 85
Artaxerxes V (Persis) 22, 91
'Aṭīyah b. al-Aswad 99

Bahram III 23, 24
Bahram IV 91
Bahram V 91
Barmaki 56, 70–1
Bishr b. Marwān 34

al-Faḍl b. Sahl 71
Fakhr al-Dawlah 82

Gocithres 20

al-Hādi 69
al-Ḥajjāj b. Yūsuf 34
al-Ḥakam b. abi'l-'Āṣ 65
Hārūn al-Rashīd 65, 77–8
Hārūn b. Muḥammad 59
Heraclius 43
Hormizd IV 92
al-Ḥusayn b. al-Jannāḥ 68

Ismā'īl b. 'Ali 53, 58–9

Kapat 21
Khosrau I 24
Khosrau II 24, 30, 85, 92–4

al-mahdi 54–5, 60–2, 69, 73, 77–8, 80, 86, 104–5
Maḥmūd 89
al-ma'mūn 79
Manṣūr 32, 74
al-manṣūr 54, 58, 64
Manṣūr b. Nūḥ 82
al-muhallab b. abi-Ṣufrah 28–9, 34, 37–8
Muḥammad Khān 84, 88
Muḥammad Shāh 84
Muḥammad b. Yaḥyâ b. Khālid Barmaki 55–6, 63, 70–1, 75, 80
Muḥammad b. Yaḥyâ b. al-Ḥārith b.
Shakhīr 56
Mūsâ b. al-mahdi 68–9
al-musayyib b. Zuhayr 72
Muslim b. al-musayyib 45
al-mu'tamid 81
al-mutawakkil 81

Napat 21
Narseh 23
Nuṣayr 73–4, 78, 104
Nuṣayr al-Waṣīf 75

Orodes 22
Oxathres 20–1

Pakur 20–1
Papek 91
Phraates 22
Piruz I 20
Piruz II 20

Qaṭari b. al-Fujā'ah 26, 100

Rabī' 54–5, 60–2, 86
al-Rabī' b. al-Khaṭīr 60
al-Rabī' b. Yūnus b. 'Abdullāh (abu'l-Faḍl) 54–5, 60–2
al-Rāḍi 79

Ṣāliḥ b. Dā'ūd b. 'Ali 68–9
Ṣalm b. al-musayyib 44–5, 72
Ṣamṣām al-Dawlah 82
Shāh Shujā' 88, 106–7
Sulaymān Khān 84, 88

Ṭalhah b. 'Abdullāh 35
Tiberius II 43
Tīmūr Gūkhān 89
Ṭoghā Tīmūr 84

'Ubaydullāh b. Ziyād 28, 34, 96
'Umar b. 'Ubaydullāh 25–7, 97–9

al-Walīd I 38–9

Yazīd 87
Yazīd b......40
Yezdigird III 95

Ziyād b. abi-Sufyān 30–1, 39, 96

INDEX OF ARABIC INSCRIPTIONS

35, 37, 86, 95–6 بسم الله
99 بسم الله ولي الامر
89 بلد
66 توج
89 تيمور كوركان
50, 58, 87 جائز
55, 76, 104 جور
68 جي
95 جيد
45, 103 حـ
68 الحسين بن الجناح
69 حفظه الله
83–4 خان
83, 88–9 خلد ملكه
54–5, 60–2, 69, 73, 104–5 الخليفة
54–5, 60–2 ربيع
60 الربيع بن الخطير
106 ابو سعيد بهادر
83 ابو كالنجار
51 ابو مسلم
82 احمد بن منصور
52 ارجان
53, 56–7, 104 اردشير خرة
53, 58–9 اسمعيل بن علي
44–5, 57–64, 103 اصطخر
58–60 اصلحه الله
53, 57, 63 اكرمه الله
44, 46, 51 امر الله بالوفا و العدل
53, 58–9, 63–4, 68, 71, 75, 79, 81–2 الامير
54–5, 57–8, 60–2, 64, 66, 69, 73, 89, 104–5 امير المؤمنين
64 الاهوز
89 ايذج
60, 62, 71 بخ
82 بخارا
46, 51 بركة
65 برمقباذ
80 برمك
55, 63, 70–1, 75 برمكي
84, 88 كبير شيخ
76, 104 كورة المهدية من فارس
100 لا حكم الا لله
25–7, 97–8 لله الحمد
68, 70, 75, 88 محمد
63, 75 محمد بن يحيى
55, 75 محمد برمكي
64. ... محمد بن
52, 79 ...... محمد
89 محمود
89, 107 المطاع
32, 73–4 منصور
69 المهدي
54–5, 60–2, 73, 104–5 المهدي محمد
68 موسى بن امير المؤمنين
68, 82 مولى امير المؤمنين
73, 104 نصير
59 هرون بن محمد
48, 79, 103 واسط
107 والعز الدئم
46, 69–71, 86 سابور
83, 88–9, 106–7 السلطان
44 سلم بن المسيب
84 سليمان خان
89, 107 شاه شجاع
107 شجاع
84, 88 شيخ كبير
47, 71, 89, 107 شيراز
68 صالح بن داود
56 صلى الله عليه و سلم
83 صمصام الدولة
63 ع
57–8, 64 عبد الله
57–8, 64, 66 عبد الله امير المؤمنين
71 عبد الله بن المسيب
89, 107 عدلية
73–4 فارس
83 فخر الدولة
73, 75, 104 فسا
83 القادر بالله
قل لا اسلكم عليه اجرا الا المودة
51, 66 القربى
69 ولي عهد المسلمين
38 الوليد
40, 87 يزيد
44, 46, 51, 58, 101 الوفا
68 ولائة
99 ولي الامر

PLATES

I

COINS FROM IṢṬAKHR

1–16: PERSIS
19: ELYMAIS
20–21: SASANIAN

II

COINS FROM IṢṬAKHR

23–30: SASANIAN
102–115: ARAB-SASANIAN

XIII

COINS FROM IṢṬAKHR

857: SĀMĀNID
858: BŪYID
861: SELJŪQ
862–863: ILKHĀNID

PT
COINS FROM PERSEPOLIS

1–2: SASANIAN
3: ARAB-SASANIAN
4: UMMAYAD
5–7: 'ABBĀSID

XIV

COINS FROM PERSEPOLIS

10: ILKHĀNID
14: MUẒAFFAKID
15: TĪMŪRID
16–17: AUTONOMOUS PERSIAN

NR
COINS FROM NAQSH-I RUSTAM

1: PERSIS
2–8: SASANIAN

XV

COINS FROM NAQSH-I RUSTAM

10–16: SASANIAN
30: ARAB-SASANIAN

XVI

COINS FROM NAQSH-I RUSTAM

ARAB-SASANIAN

XVII

COINS FROM NAQSH-I RUSTAM

ARAB-SASANIAN

XVIII

COINS FROM NAQSH-I RUSTAM

51–56: ARAB-SASANIAN
57–58: UMAYYAD
61–64: 'ABBĀSID
68–69: ILKHĀNID
70–71: MUẒAFFARID