The Numismatic
Chronicle 173
Offprint
Hoard Twice Buried?
Fatimid Gold from Thirteenth Century
Crusader Arsur (Apollonia-Arsuf)
by
OREN TAL, ROBERT KOOL and ISSA BAIDOUN
LONDON
T H E R O YA L N U M I S M AT I C S O C I E T Y
2013
HOARD TWICE BURIED?
261
A Hoard Twice Buried?
Fatimid Gold from Thirteenth Century
Crusader Arsur (Apollonia-Arsuf)
OREN TAL, ROBERT KOOL and ISSA BAIDOUN
[PLATES 43-48]
CRUSADER ARSUR: HISTORICAL SOURCES AND EXCAVATION FINDS
ARSUR/ARSUF (also known as Apollonia) is located in the central coastal plain of
Israel, between Jaffa and Caesarea, on a kurkar (fossilized dune sandstone) cliff
(Fig. 1). The site was settled continuously from about 500 BC to AD 1265.1 The
history of the site’s occupation during the crusader period is relatively well covered
in the historical sources.2 The town was conquered by Baldwin I (1100–18) of
Jerusalem and his crusader army in 1101 and incorporated in the royal demesne.
Several decades later, Arsur became the seat of an independent feudal seigneury that
extended over the southern Sharon Plain. Its first known lord was Johannes de Arsur,
a close ally and supporter of King Amaury I of Jerusalem (1163–73). As an important
Frankish settlement inhabited by crusaders, colonists and pilgrims it possessed its
own burgess court.3 In 1187 Arsur was briefly occupied by Saladin’s forces, but
it was re-conquered by the crusaders during the Third Crusade, after the battle of
Arsuf, in which Richard I of England personally directed the victory over the army
of Saladin on 7 September 1191. In 1207, John of Ibelin the ‘Old’ Lord of Beirut,
married Melisende of Arsur and became Lord of Arsur. John II of Arsur, one of his
younger sons, inherited the seigneury in 1236. He re-inhabited the site, rebuilt the
town walls and, in 1241, constructed a concentric castle in its north-eastern section,
from where the hoard of Fatimid gold coins discussed in this study was retrieved.
Acknowledgments. The coins were photographed by Pavel Shrago of the Institute of Archaeology, Tel
Aviv University and Clara Amit of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA); XRF analysis was made by
Yuval Goren of the Laboratory for Comparative Micro-archaeology, Department of Archaeology and
Ancient Near Eastern Cultures, Tel Aviv University, to whom we extend our thanks.
For a general overview of the site, see K. Galor, I. Roll and O. Tal, ‘Apollonia-Arsuf between past
and future’, Near Eastern Archaeology 72/1 (2009), pp. 4–27. For a study on another coin hoard from
the site, see O. Tal and I. Baidoun, ‘A hoard of Mamlûk, Ottoman and Venetian coins (fifteenth to
sixteenth centuries) from Apollonia-Arsuf, Israel’, NC 170 (2010), pp. 484–93.
2
A full historical analysis of Crusader Arsur is found in I. Roll, ‘Introduction: history of the site, its
research and excavations’, in I. Roll and O. Tal, Apollonia-Arsuf: Final Report of the Excavations, 1,
The Persian and Hellenistic Periods (with Appendices on the Chalcolithic and Iron Age II Remains)
(Tel Aviv, 1999), pp. 11–18.
3
D. Pringle, Secular Buildings in the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem: An Archaeological Gazeteer
(Cambridge, 1997), pp. 3–4.
1
262
OREN TAL, ROBERT KOOL and ISSA BAIDOUN
As the danger from the expanding Mamluk sultanate increased after 1260, it
became crucial for a strong and well-organized military order to garrison Arsur.
Hence, in 1261, the rights over the castle, the town, and the entire seigneury of
Arsur (castellum, civitatem et dominium de Arsur) were leased to the Hospitallers
by John II’s son Balian for 4,000 gold bezants a year.4 This act effectively brought
the lordship of Arsur to an end, although the later heirs of the Arsur line of the
Ibelins continued to bear the formal title of Lord or Lady of Arsur until the late
fourteenth century. The Hospitallers were granted the profits of justice in Arsur in
1263, and according to Muslim sources, in that same year they apparently started to
build up a stronghold in the town.5 This probably meant an eastern enlargement of
the walled town, as confirmed by surveys and excavations at the site. The Mamluk
sultan, Baybars (1260–77) considered this act a violation of the treaty that he had just
concluded with crusader leaders.
According to the historical sources, on 21 March 1265, a large and well-equipped
Muslim army under the personal command of Baybars laid siege to Arsur. From
the crusaders’ point of view, Arsur was relatively well prepared. Its town and castle
were strongly fortified, well provisioned and defended. On 26 April, after 35 days of
the siege, a concerted attack was carried out and the town was taken by storm. The
surviving defenders took refuge in the castle and continued to fight. After three more
days of fierce battles, Muslim warriors took control of part of the castle’s fortifications
and were able to raise the banners of Islam over the walls. The Hospitallers, having
lost up to 1,000 warriors, including 90 knights, asked to surrender on condition that
the survivors would be free to leave. Baybars at first agreed but then reneged on his
promise, and the survivors were taken into slavery. Baybars also forced the Christian
prisoners to participate in the systematic demolition of their own stronghold.6 Arsur
was subsequently razed and left in ruins, never to be properly inhabited again. This
final destruction is largely attested by thick conflagration layers and ruins that were
uncovered, particular in the excavated areas of the castle.7
4
J. Delaville le Roulx (ed.), Les Archives, la Bibliothèque et le trésor de l’ordre de Saint-Jean de
Jérusalem à Malte (Bibliothèque des Ecoles françaises d’Athenes et de Rome, I, 32), (Paris, 1883), pp.
194–5, no. 88.
5
J. Riley-Smith, The Knights Hospitaller in the Levant, c.1070–1309 (Basingstoke and New York,
2012), p. 208.
6
See R. Amitai, ‘The conquest of Arsūf by Baybars: political and military aspects’, Mamlūk Studies
Review 9/1 (2005), pp. 61–83. For the archaeological evidence, see O. Tal and I. Roll, ‘Arsur: the site,
settlement and crusader castle, and the material manifestation of their destruction’, in O. Tal (ed.),
The Last Supper at Apollonia: The Final Days of the Crusader Castle in Herzliya (Tel Aviv, 2011),
pp. [8–51] (in Hebrew and English). For other historical overviews, see, for example, S. Runciman,
A History of the Crusades, 3, The Kingdom of Acre and the Later Crusades (Cambridge, 1954), p.
318; C. Marshall, Warfare in the Latin East, 1192–1291 (Cambridge and New York, 1992), p. 115; P.
Thorau, The Lion of Egypt: Sultan Baybars I and the Near East in the Thirteenth Century (London and
New York, 1995), pp. 161–2. The number of dead warriors, as based on equivocal historical sources,
is obviously estimated. The archaeological evidence is not in total agreement with the historical
documentation (that is, the accounts of Ibn ‘Abd al-Zāhir, Al-Rawḍ al-Zāhir fī Sīrat al-Malik al-Zāhir,
ed. ‘Abd al-‘Azīz al Khuway²ir, Riyadh, 1396/1976, pp. 235–43). These accounts present many details,
but the general impression is far from clear. Still, it appears that the town was under siege for 35 days
(from 21/22 March to 26 April 1265), while the fighting over the castle lasted three days (26–29 April
1265). See our reservations below (n. 12).
7
Tal and Roll, ‘Arsur’ (n. 6), pp. [43–6].
HOARD TWICE BURIED?
Fig. 1. Arsur: Site Plan
263
264
OREN TAL, ROBERT KOOL and ISSA BAIDOUN
Fig. 2. Arsur: Castle Plan
HOARD TWICE BURIED?
265
Controlled archaeological excavations in the crusader town of Arsur, and in its
ruined castle (Fig. 2), have revealed unambiguous evidence of the fierce fighting that
took place.8 Thousands of arrowheads and ballista stones provided clear evidence for
the ferocious nature of the battle.9 Other important archaeological finds dating to the
1265 siege were discovered in the castle, among them a cesspit filled with pieces of
imported luxury pottery ware and rare glass vessels.10 These were found with large
numbers of local cooking wares mixed with considerable quantities of animal bones,
fascinating evidence of the food regime of the besieged Hospitallers defending Arsur
castle in 1265.11 One of the most important contributions of the lengthy period of
A salvage excavation in the castle took place in 1981. Large-scale excavations in the castle began in
1998 and continued until 2000. These were conducted in order to prepare the site to become a national
park of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority (opened to the public in 2001). All of these excavations
were carried out under the direction of the late I. Roll (Tel Aviv University), with the aim of revealing
the castle’s destruction layer (1265) and leaving for future excavations the castle’s earlier level of
occupation (1240s). Excavations in the castle in recent years (2009–12, directed by O. Tal) are mainly
focused on the castle’s western facade for the sake of conservation and preservation.
9
Tal and Roll, ‘Arsur’ (n. 6), pp. [38–40]. See also K. Raphael and Y. Tepper, ‘The archaeological
evidence from the Mamluk siege of Arsūf’, Mamlūk Studies Review 9/1 (2005), pp. 85–100; and D.
Ashkenazi, O. Golan, and O. Tal, ‘An archaeometallurgical study of 13th-century arrowheads and bolts
from the Crusader castle of Arsuf/Arsur’, Archaeometry 55/2 (2013), pp. 235–57. Because excavations
in the castle are ongoing, the numbers of arrowheads and ballista stones are (modestly) increasing.
10
The refuse pit was discovered during the 1999 season wedged between the north-eastern castle wall
and the northern apsidal hall / gate tower where the gold hoard was found (see below). The pit went
out of use when it was filled up intentionally. Both the level of the finds in the pit and their state of
preservation, indicate that this occurred when the castle was under siege. The contents of the pit are thus
clearly associated with the Hospitaller knights who inhabited the castle since the early 1260s and were
preparing for a Mamluk attack either in late 1264 or, more probably, in early 1265. The importance of
this assemblage lies in its terminus ante quem of late April 1265 and in the relative rarity of well-dated
everyday artefacts of that period. A few metal objects were also recorded among the finds from the
cesspit. The pottery, glass, and metal items were discarded after they went out of use, either because
they had been broken or were no longer needed. Also the fear of epidemics would have forced the
besieged to discard contaminated vessels, explaining why many of the vessels were found complete
and intact.
11
Of the more than 1,000 pottery vessels, the most common group found in the castle was cooking
utensils, mainly glazed cooking pots (about 300) and glazed frying pans / baking trays (about 170).
The large number of cooking vessels (and also stoves and ovens discovered in the castle) attests to the
castle’s defenders preoccupation with food even in the final days of the siege. Most of the tableware
recovered at Arsur consisted of various sizes of simple, undecorated ‘Acre’ bowls (about 200). There
were also slip-painted versions of these bowls (about 150). Prominent among the imported glazed
wares were Proto-Majolica vessels from southern Italy and Sicily, Port Saint Symeon vessels from
Al-Mina (Antioch), and types of Zeuxippus and Zeuxippus-style bowls, originating from various
locations around the eastern Mediterranean, see Tal and Roll, ‘Arsur’, (n. 6), pp. [40–2]. The finds
were published in a preliminary form in the catalogue of the exhibition that told the story of the final
days of the crusader castle through the ‘last supper’ of its defenders, the Hospitaller knights, centring
on a reconstruction of the castle’s kitchen and cooking and table dishes. Such vessels are well known
in crusader sites throughout Israel, see M. Avissar and E.J. Stern, Pottery of the Crusader, Ayyubid, and
Mamluk Periods in Israel (Jerusalem, 2005). The glass assemblage exhibits a few gilded and enameled
vessels and different undecorated types, see R. Jackson-Tal and O. Tal, ‘Crusader glass in context:
The destruction of Arsur (Apollonia-Arsuf, Israel), April 1265’, Journal of Glass Studies 55 (2013),
pp. 85–100. The archaeo-zoological analysis of the animal bones showed a predominance of fowl and
especially chickens, more than 200 MNI (minimum number of individuals). We are indebted to Moshe
Sade, who studied these finds.
8
266
OREN TAL, ROBERT KOOL and ISSA BAIDOUN
excavations at Arsuf (twenty-two seasons, between 1977 and 2013) is to show that
the actual period of fighting, particularly around the castle, lasted much longer than
the three days mentioned in the historical sources (26–29 April 1265).12
THE DISCOVERY OF THE HOARD
During excavations in 2012 along the castle’s main western defence walls (Fig. 2,
Area F) a ceramic jug was discovered filled with earth and containing 108 gold
coins. The hoard was discovered during a magnetometer survey of the site, to reveal
among other things the extent of the castle’s earlier levels of occupation (1240s).
To verify the survey results small trial trenches were dug in the castle area and an
advanced metal detector was employed.13 The metal detecting located the ceramic jug
in the castle gate’s northern apsidal hall, within the northern gate tower complex.14
This hall was built in the 1240s and was still in use in the 1260s. It seems to have
enjoyed a special status within the castle as evidenced by the high quality of the
hall’s construction.15 The vessel (Fig. 3) was recovered about 10 centimetres below
the floor’s upper level, in the centre of the hall, where dismantled coloured marble
slabs were unearthed.16
The unprecedented numbers of ballista stones and arrowheads (above n. 9) fired by the Mamluk
army units into the castle area, supports this hypothesis. Moreover, the intentional discarding of
hundreds of complete (or nearly complete) pottery and glass vessels cannot have occurred within such
a short time span (especially when the best explanation for this is hygienic). Further evidence of a
protracted siege is the conversion of existing spaces within the castle into industrial-scale installations
for cooking, baking, and washing dishes.
13
The excavations in the castle were conducted in June 2012, financed by the Israel Nature and Parks
Authority. T. Harpak headed the supervision of the area and its documentation and M. Johananoff
operated the metal detector. The preceding magnetometer survey was carried out between 13–19 May
2012, by M. Waldhör of Terrana Geophysik in the framework of a project funded by the Deutsche
Forschungsgemeinschaft (GZ: SCHO 520/14-1), ‘Die kreuzfahrerzeitliche Stadt Apollonia/Arsur in
Israel: Struktur - Kulturadaption - Stadt-Umland-Beziehungen’, co-headed by B. Scholkmann of the
University of Tübingen and O. Tal, Tel Aviv University.
14
The northern hall was excavated on a number of occasions, starting in 1981, when the rest of the
castle’s gate components could not yet be seen. Even then, Roll noticed that this internal space featured
high-quality construction, and because its eastern wall was apsidal, he believed at the time it was the
castle chapel. Following the discovery of the entire gate complex in 2000, the upper occupation layer
of the northern hall was excavated, and its identity revealed. The hall’s internal measurements are
4.6 x 11.8 meters. The cores of the walls surrounding it were preserved to a considerable height – the
southern wall as high as 4.3 meters above the floor. The facing of the walls, with kurkar (fossilized dune
sandstones) ashlars, bonded at their joints with well-smoothed mortar, survived to a maximum height
of only 1.5 meters. It should be noted that another layer could be discerned on the faces of all the walls,
made of fine, white mortar.
15
This was evidenced by the iron hooks embedded in walls apparently used for holding furniture or
wall-tapestries, a monumental threshold and an elaborate constructed floor of layers of plaster topped
by mortar.
16
The juglet came from Locus 2898 (Basket 28251) and the coins were assigned to 108 different
baskets (28271–28378). Dry sifting followed by wet sifting was done in four stages (every 2 cm). The
coins were registered by their respective elevation in the juglet but no trace of a possible chronological
deposition was detected. The total gold weight of all coins recovered was 387.45 g.
12
HOARD TWICE BURIED?
267
Fig. 3. The pot
The hoard’s burial in an elaborately decorated hall securely dated to the castle’s
brief existence (1240s–1260s) unequivocally shows its association with the castle’s
mid-thirteenth century inhabitants. Cumulative archaeological evidence seems
to favour its link with the hall’s latest occupants, the Hospitallers defending the
castle. If so, the hoard seems to have been buried in the fortified hall with the aim
of being retrieved after the battle with the Mamluk forces. This would also explain
why the juglet was found broken and intentionally filled with earth, possibly to blur
its content’s considerable value. The Hospitallers’ surrender to Baybars’ forces in
exchange for their freedom—which turned out to be a hoax—presumably encouraged
the survivors to hide valuable belongings before being disarmed and demobilized by
the Mamluks.
268
OREN TAL, ROBERT KOOL and ISSA BAIDOUN
THE CONTENT OF THE HOARD
Fig. 4. The pot and its contents
The hoard contains 106 Fatimid and two Zirid gold dinars and fractions (Fig. 4).17
Seven of the coins, five quarter dinars and two dinars are pierced (nos 31, 39, 43, 48,
93, 98, 106; one quarter dinar, no. 31, has two piercings) and four of the coins are
clipped (nos 99, 100, 101, 102, which all belong to al-Ḥākim bi-Amr Allāh). A few
are relatively worn but most are well-preserved.
The latest coin is dated to the short reign of al-Musta‘lī AH 489 / AD 1095/6 (no.
29), while the earliest coin was minted under al Mu’izz (AH 341–65 / AD 953–75),
dated to AH 358 / AD 968 (no. 43). More than two-thirds of the coins (75) belong
to the long reign of al-Mustan¤ir (AH 427–87 / AD 1036–94). The coins thus span
The Zirids were a Sunni Berber dynasty that ruled Ifriqiya (area of Tunisia, western Libya, eastern
Algeria) as vassals of the Shi‘ite Fatimids between 973 and 1148. In AH 433 / AD 1041, Abū Tamīn alMu’izz Ibn Bādīs (406–54 / 1016–62) revolted against his Fatimid overlords and declared his allegiance
to the Abbassid Caliph. The two coins in the hoard (nos 107, 108) were minted after the revolt as their
Sunni inspired inscriptions and date – one of the dinars is dated AH 444 / AD 1052–3 show (the obverse
of the coins bears the Sunni kalima, and both sides carry strongly worded warnings from the Qur’an not
to stray from Orthodox Islam: Sura 33 (al-’Ahzab), verses 45–46, ‘O thou prophet, we have sent thee
as a witness and a bringer of good news and a warner and a summoner to God’, and Sura 3 (al-’Imran),
verse 85, ‘And whosoever desires other than Islam as a faith, never will it be accepted from him’. No
Zirid coins have hitherto been recorded from excavations or provenanced finds in Israel. However,
eleventh-century North African gold (see text above) was an integral part of the money pool of the
Fatimid state. This is also witnessed by a North African hoard found buried in Ayla / Aqaba containing
32 gold dinars, of which 29 came from Sijilmassa in southern Morocco, see D. Whitcomb, Ayla: Art
and Industry in the Islamic Port of Aqaba (Chicago, 1994), p. 18.
17
HOARD TWICE BURIED?
269
some 150 years (950s–1095/6), a relatively long period but nothing unusual when
compared to similar Fatimid period gold hoards of the eleventh century found nearby
in Ramla, Caesarea, Tiberias and Jerusalem.18
Table 1. Gold Fatimid period hoards (11) from excavations and provenanced finds
in Israel / southern Bilad al-Shams
Provenance
Ramla
Tiberias (south)
Amphitheatre
Tiberias
(British Mandate)
Tiberias (south)
Content
376 dinars,
fractions and
ingots
25 dinars
Burial Date Reference
after 979
S. Levy and H.W. Mitchell, ‘A hoard
of gold dinars from Ramlah’, INJ 3
(1965–6), pp. 37–66
after 985
Unpublished
14 dinars
after 1014
Unpublished
14 dinars,
fractions
missed with
jewellery
16 coins
after 1034
A. Berman, ‘The coins’, in D. Stacey,
Excavations at Tiberias, 1973–1974:
The Early Islamic Periods (Jerusalem,
2004), pp. 221–45 passim
Unpublished
Tiberias
(north-west)
Jerusalem, Temple 9 coins
Mount (no. 3)
Tiberias (south)
Ramla (south)
after 1036
after 1047
after 1086
A. Berman, ‘Medieval hoards from the
southern wall excavations and their
lessons’, ‘Alon (Israel Numismatic
Society Newsletter) 5 (1976), pp.
76–78 (Hebrew) [preliminary]
D. Wasserstein, ‘The coins in the
golden hoard from Tiberias’, ‘Atiqot 36
(1998), pp. 10–14
Unpublished; for a related jewellery
hoard excavated in an adjacent shop
see A. Lester, ‘A Fatimid period
jewellery hoard from the excavations
at Mazliah’, Qadmoniot (2008), 135,
pp. 35–9
Unpublished
after 1094
Berman, ‘Medieval hoards’
after 1095
Berman, ‘Medieval hoards’
9 gold coins,
after 1063
mixed with
jewellery
302 dinars and after 1078
fractions
Caesarea
79 dinars
(amphitheatre)
Jerusalem, Temple 111 dinars,
Mount (no. 1)
fractions and
cuttings
Jerusalem, Temple 51 coins
Mount (no. 2)
18
In addition to the Arsur hoard, the area of Israel / southern Bilad al-Shams, controlled by the Fatimid
state between the 970s and the early twelfth century has produced an extraordinary concentration of
gold Fatimid period money hoards (11) from excavations and provenanced finds. The hoards are listed
according to burial date in Table 1.
270
OREN TAL, ROBERT KOOL and ISSA BAIDOUN
The proportion of the hoard’s denominations closely resemble those of other
hoards from this period: the majority, 92, are dinars (average weight 4.03 grams); 14
are quarter dinars (average weight 0.94 grams) and two single specimens consist of
the rarer half (no. 86; 2.04 grams) and eighth (no. 33; 0.58 grams) dinar fractions.19
Likewise, the representation of mints found in the Arsur hoard closely resembles
other hoards buried at the end of the eleventh century. About 70% of the coins in
the Arsur hoard come from the Fatimids main Egyptian mints at Mi¤r (46) and alIskandarīyah (29). Smaller but significant numbers come from the North African
and central Mediterranean mints (13: al-Man¤ūriyya, al-Mahdiyya, Madīnat Izzi alIslām al-Qayrawān, and Siqilliyya). The remainder were struck at mints in Bilad
al-Shams (10: ‘Akka, Filas²īn, ¼ūr, ³arablus).
Finally, the gold content of the Arsur coins, the majority of which contained
between 96% to 99% gold, is similar to other eleventh century hoards, both for its
dinars and fractions. This is set out in detail in the XRF analysis below.20
The Arsur hoard is exceptional though in one aspect: it contains four coins dated
to the short reign of al-Musta‘lī (487–95 / 1094–1101) during which the Fatimid
state’s Syrian possessions were conquered by the armies of the First Crusade
(1095–9). Coins of this Fatimid caliph are extremely rare. Only a single stray-find,
a dirham dated to his reign, has been found among the more than 220 sites where
Fatimid money was excavated or discovered.21 To date, the Arsur hoard is the only
provenanced hoard that we know of that contains coins of his reign. There were four
(nos 29, 33, 39, 40) of different denominations, a dinar, two quarter dinars and an
eighth dinar minted in three different mints (Alexandria, ‘Akka and ¼ūr).
A HOARD TWICE BURIED?
NUMISMATIC VERSUS EVIDENCE FROM EXCAVATIONS
The Arsur hoard’s archaeological context securely dates it to the period of the castle’s
construction and demolition (1240s to 1260s). The contents of the hoard on the other
hand date it to the late eleventh / early twelfth centuries.
The hoard’s profile—the coins’ mints, denominations and dates—are typical of
those found in Fatimid gold hoards from the end of the eleventh / early twelfth
19
The hoard is currently stored at the Israel Antiquities Coin Department (IAA nos 139257–139364),
together with over 800 coins found during excavations on the site. Of these more than a hundred single
finds date to the tenth / eleventh–thirteenth centuries. Some 160 single finds coins of the 2012 season
and some 60 of the 2013 season are excluded from this count.
20
A comparison with 89 coins from the Ramla (south) and Caesarea hoards which underwent similar
XRF analysis at the IAA Coin Department in 2012 shows a strikingly similar metallurgical profile of
both full dinars and fractions: 86% of the dinars in these hoards contained 97–99% gold compared
with 87% of the Arsur dinars. On the other hand, in both cases many of the dinar fractions contained a
substantially lower gold content: 64% of the Ramla (south) (the Caesarea hoard contained no fractions)
compared with 56% in the Arsur hoard. The above preliminary data was provided from an XRF analysis
based research of Fatimid and crusader period gold coins, conducted jointly by S. Shilstein, Physics
Department, Weizmann Institute of Science and R. Kool, IAA Coin Department.
21
A half dirham (IAA 74449) found in the fields of Kibbutz Gadot, on an important medieval road
leading from the coast to Damascus, close to one of the only passable crossings of the Jordan River
between its sources and the Sea of Galilee.
HOARD TWICE BURIED?
271
centuries. The hoard’s latest coins—including its latest datable coin (AH 489 / AD
1095/6) are all from the short reign of al-Musta‘lī. The presence of these extremely
rare coins—in different denominations and at least three separate mints —strongly
indicate that the burial of the hoard is associated with the reign of this Fatimid ruler
or shortly thereafter.
If the hoard was buried in the 1260s it should also contain gold Fatimid dinars of
al-Āmir bi’Aḥkāmi l-Lah (AD 1101–30), possibly a few of his successors until 1171,
as well as twelfth and thirteenth centuries Crusader imitation bezants and Ayyubid
dinars. But these are all absent.
The pot (juglet) (Figs 3 and 4) in which the hoard was buried apparently belongs
to a later tradition of Fatimid period buff-ware that continued to be used for an
extended period in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries.22 This, however, is not
conclusively indicative of a thirteenth century burial. Indeed, similar vessels were
found at Arsur castle and its adjacent faubourg in both twelfth and thirteenth century
occupation levels.
How then can we resolve this puzzle? Two possible scenarios present themselves:
the first is that the coins were circulating and used continuously for 165 years. This
seems, as we have already remarked, highly unlikely considering the total absence of
other twelfth to thirteenth century Islamic and crusader gold denominations. A second,
more realistic possibility is that the coins were buried by their original owner(s) in
Fatimid controlled Arsuf, at the time that the rulers of the nascent Latin Kingdom of
Jerusalem tried to capture the town, in the late 1090s or early 1100s. This could have
occurred during the unsuccessful siege by Godfrey of Bouillon four months after the
capture of Jerusalem, in December 1099. It is more likely that the hoard’s first burial
is linked to the conquest of the Fatimid town by Baldwin I in 1101, which resulted in
the wholesale expulsion of its inhabitants.23 The hoard remained buried and forgotten
in the Frankish inhabited township until it was somehow ‘rediscovered’ after 1261
when the Hospitallers engineered massive building works to strengthen the town’s
fortifications as part of the castle’s defences.24 At this point it is quite likely that parts
22
The juglet has a creamy coloured external surface (2.5Y 9/4) and light orange-brown ware (7.5YR
8/6). It does not belong to the typical whitish-cream Early Islamic buff ware types (cf. e.g. N. Brosh,
‘Pottery of the 8th-13th centuries C.E. (Strata 1–3)’, in L.I. Levine and E. Netzer, Excavations at
Caesarea Maritima, 1975, 1976 1979 – Final Report (Jerusalem, 1986), p. 67, fig. 1, 8, pl. I, 5). Rather
it seems to be a later derivation (twelfth-thirteenth centuries) in terms of fabric and morphological
design. It has close similarities in terms of ware and design with the vessels recovered from the castle’s
cesspit (above); cf. in this respect Avissar and Stern, ‘Pottery’ (n. 11), p. 108, fig. 45, 1, pl. 30, 1,
Type II.4.1; and also E.J. Stern. ‘Akko I: The 1991–1998 Excavations. The Crusader-period Pottery
(Jerusalem, 2012), p. 35, pl. 4.6 passim.
23
For an account of the siege and the conquest see Tal and Roll, ‘Arsur’ (n. 6), pp. [13–15], see
especially therein notes 2–8 for the historical sources.
24
Archaeological excavations indicate these works were initiated by the Hospitallers since generally
no signs of Mamluk destruction were observed in buildings excavated in the crusader town, but rather
signs of abandonment. Clearly the Hospitallers carried out extensive building works to re-fortify the
town’s defences against the growing Mamluk threat. These efforts apparently involved the evacuation of
the town’s residents from dwellings built along the town’s walls to the castle and filling these with earth
and stones to thicken and strengthen the existing walls. Along the southern town wall the Hospitallers
constructed a large platform (16.7 x 2.7 meters [Area P]) apparently used for their heavy artillery to
272
OREN TAL, ROBERT KOOL and ISSA BAIDOUN
of the gold were put to good use by the Hospitaller inhabitants. Also the fact that no
contemporary gold coins were added to the assemblage may be (negative) evidence
that by that stage the crusader mints were no longer striking imitative dinars.25 Finally,
during the Mamluk siege of the castle in April 1265 the remainder of the hoard was
reburied in haste for a second time in a new pot in the floor of the castle’s north hall
tower. Thus the present coins may well represent a remainder of a larger dinar hoard
whose original size remains unknown.
THE HOARD AND THE CIRCULATION OF GOLD COINS
IN THE LATIN KINGDOM OF JERUSALEM
Considera quaeso, et mente cogita, quomodo tempore in nostro transvertit
Deus Occidentem in Orientem. nam qui fuimus Occidentales, nunc facti sumus
orientales…qui habuerant nummos paucos, hic possident bisantios innumeros…
‘Consider, I pray, and reflect how in our time God has transformed the Occident into
the Orient. For we, who were Occidentals, have now become Orientals…Those who
had few coins, here possess countless besants…’
Thus wrote Fulcher of Chartres in the late 1120s in an iconic passage in his
Historia Hierosolymitana commenting on the enormous social and cultural changes
facing western settlers that had moved to the newly created kingdom of Jerusalem.26
Among the skills westerners had to learn within one generation was the intensive
use of money and coinage in the east, in particular gold coins—‘bisantios / besants’
as contemporaries in the Latin East called them, an unfamiliar sight to most of the
population in the medieval west up to the mid-thirteenth century.27 A century later
bolster a weak point in the town’s defensive wall and moat. The crusader defenders had good reason
to do so as the breach (some 21 meters long) observed in front of it was possibly the place where the
Mamluk forces succeeded in entering the town. See also Tal and Roll, ‘Arsur’ (n. 6), pp. [20, 35].
25
For a more detailed account on the use of gold in the crusader states during 1250s to the 1290s
see R. Kool, ‘A thirteenth century hoard of gold florins from the medieval harbour of Acre’, NC 166
(2006), pp. 303–4.
26
Fulcher of Chartres, Historia Hierosolymitana (1095–1127), ed. H. Hagenmeyer (Heidelberg,
1913), III, 37, pp. 2–8.
27
There were of course exceptions, particularly those regions in medieval Europe which had close
ties with the Islamic world. In Southern Italy small gold taris had been widely used since the tenth
century. There ‘gold’ based monies of account, (solidus regalis, solidus, tercenarius) were also used
by ducal and royal administrations after the 1140s. P. Grierson and L. Travaini MEC 14 Italy 3 South
Italy, Sicily, Sardinia (Cambridge, 1998), pp. 60, 87ff. For the south of France (Toulouse, Montpellier)
written sources note the use of gold during the twelfth century. See M. Bompaire ‘Le retour a l’or
en Occident au XIIIe siècle: le cas de Montpellier (France)’ [paper given at the XIV International
Numismatic Congress, Glasgow 2009]. I thank the author for a copy of the paper. For Montpellier there
exists documentary evidence from the 1240s for the minting of gold imitations. The Frankish settlers
coming from the fringes of the Muslim-Christian world such as twelfth-century Catalonia were familiar
with Almoravid and Almohad gold (morabetinus, mazmutina), see: T.N. Bisson, Fiscal Accounts of
Catalonia under the Early Count-Kings (1151–1213) (Berkeley and London, 1984), p. 304. On the
circulation of these coins in western Europe see A.-M. Balaguer, ‘El maravedi alfonsi su difusion entre
los estados cristianos de la peninsula iberica (siglos XII-XIII)’, in Homagen a Mario Gomes Marques
(Sintra, 2000), pp. 275–302 and B.J. Cook, ‘The bezant in Angevin England’, NC 165 (2005), pp. 255–
75. For the few good references to the use of gold currencies in twelfth-century western Europe – both
money of account and coin – see more recently M. Bompaire, ‘Le mythe du Besant’, in Mélanges
Cécile Morrisson (Travaux et mémoires 16), (Paris, 2010), pp. 93–116, in particular, pp. 95–6, 108–
HOARD TWICE BURIED?
273
these skills has turned into habit. We have very little archaeological evidence of the
use of gold coins in the Frankish kingdom. Gold coins were too valuable to be lost
and were invariably recycled.28 But the kingdom’s numerous charters, legal treatises
and other written sources make it abundantly clear that both the ruling Frankish
elite of the kingdom and its non-noble populations, Christians and Muslims alike,
adopted the gold dinar as its standard money, both as money of account and in cash
transactions.
During the twelfth century these transactions seems to have been based primarily on
the influx of massive amounts of Muslim gold, in particular Egyptian ‘Mi¤ri’ dinars,
like those of the Arsur hoard. By the 1180s William of Tyre, our most important source
on the history of the kingdom in the twelfth century, noted the pervasive influence of
the cash rich Egyptian state on the monetary economy of the neighbouring kingdom,
filling the coffers of the royal treasury and the Frankish ruling elite. As chancellor
of the Jerusalem kingdom during the 1170s/early 1180s and thus well versed in its
financial matters, William observed that ‘the Egyptians brought to the realm foreign
riches and strange commodities hitherto unknown to us … moreover an immense
revenue deriving from yearly tribute enriched the fiscal treasury and increased the
private wealth of courtiers …’.29 Much of this seemed to have come in the form
of the plentiful Fatimid dinars then available — the treasury of the Fatimid caliph
al-Ḥākim bi-Amr Allāh in the newly built administrative capital Al-Qahira alone
reportedly contained more than twelve million dinars in the 1120s.30 These were
augmented with the much smaller issues of imitation dinars struck in Frankish mints
working in Jerusalem, Acre, Tyre and Tripoli from the 1140s onwards.31
116. Gold was also struck for ceremonial purposes (e.g. payments to Rome) such as the gold pennies
struck by the Anglo-Saxon kings of England, the latest known example dating from around 1050. Our
thanks to Marcus Phillips and Susan Tyler-Smith for this last reference. Nonetheless the massive use
of gold coinage in the crusader states was on a completely different scale to its occasional use in most
of western Europe.
28
From the territory of the kingdom of Jerusalem we know of only about 24 single gold finds and
another 7 hoards / assemblages from the twelfth century. Together, these finds come from around 18
sites. For the preceding tenth to eleventh centuries there are about 54 single finds and another 13 hoards
coming from some 30 sites. These figures are based on data from an on-going research project into
medieval coin finds from excavated or provenanced sites in the territory of the kingdom of Jerusalem
by R. Kool.
29
See Willelmi Tyrensis Archiepiscopi Chronicon, R.B.C. Huygens ed., (= Corpus Christianorum
Continuatio Mediaevalis, 63a) (Turnhout, 1986), book 20: ch. 10.
30
Figures show that the Egyptian economy dwarfed anything known to the Frankish rulers of
Jerusalem. Annual revenues collected through an efficient state collection system, excluding the
considerable income from international trade, seem to have amounted to four to five million dinars
per annum during the entire twelfth century, see Y. Lev, ‘Saladin’s economic policies and the economy
of Ayyubid Egypt’, in U. Vermeulen and K. d’Hulster (eds), Egypt and Syria in the Fatimid, Ayyubid
and Mamluk Eras: Proceedings of the 11th, 12th and 13th International Colloquium organized at
the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in May 2001, 2002 and 2003 (Louvain, 2007), pp. 307–48, esp.
pp. 310–21. During the Frankish attempts to establish a Christian protectorate in Egypt hundreds of
thousands of gold dinars paid by the Fatimid rulers as bribes and ransoms found their way into the
coffers of the Jerusalem kings, see R. Kool, The Circulation and Use of Coins in the Kingdom of
Jerusalem 1099–1291 CE (Dissertation, Hebrew University of Jerusalem), 2013, pp. 221–23.
31
For the Frankish imitation dinars, see D.M Metcalf, Coinage of the Latin East (London, 1995),
pp. 43–51; idem, ‘Crusader gold bezants of the kingdom of Jerusalem: two additional sources of
information’, NC 160 (2000), pp. 203–7.
274
OREN TAL, ROBERT KOOL and ISSA BAIDOUN
This process seems to have continued in the thirteenth century. Archaeological
or provenanced finds of gold coins for this later period are extremely rare,32 but the
numismatic evidence, the imitation dinars / bezants with Arabic inscriptions, and for
a short period in the 1250s with Christian legends and symbols, is well attested.33
Also, fiscal administrative practices in place since the Fatimid era, seem likely to
have continued during this period.34 In addition, legal treatises, merchant manuals
and most charters of the kingdom which mention property and other transactions
continue to refer interchangeably to ‘bezants’ (‘bisantios / bisantii / bisantiis’) or
‘Saracen bezants’ (‘bisantiis saracenatiis / bisantii saracenatii’) throughout the entire
thirteenth century.35 Some scholars believe that these terms exclusively referred to
the use of the crusader imitation dinars minted in the kingdom of Jerusalem or in the
principality of Tripoli, identified as the ‘¼ūri’ dinars in Islamic sources.36 Both the
absence of sufficient archaeological / provenanced material and the fact that only in
rare instances do charters actually refer to such imitation dinars (‘struck in Syria’,
‘according to the weight of Acre’, ‘bezants of Acre’) do not allow us to verify this
adequately.37
In sum, it is clear that gold in the form of dinars, remained the standard money (both
in cash and in money of account) of the kingdom of Jerusalem until its downfall in
1291. No doubt, the dinars of the Arsur hoard, c.390 grams of almost pure gold, the
equivalent of c.97 Fatimid dinars or 140–150 thirteenth century 60% gold crusader
imitation dinars,38 constituted a sizeable sum of money to be hidden for either a first
or a second time by one of the last Hospitaller defenders of the castle.
So far archaeological excavations of sites within the kingdom of Jerusalem have yielded no
thirteenth-century imitation bezants. There is one registered find of such thirteenth-century imitations
but the exact provenance and circumstances of the find remain vague: a hoard of about 20 bezants
acquired by the Italian king Victor Emmanuel III, at Carmel (presently Haifa) while touring the Holy
Land as crown prince in 1895. The hoard is dated to c.1240–91, see L. Traviani ‘“Bisanti sarracenati”
del XIII secolo nella collezione di Vittorio Emanuele III di Savoia: un probabile ripostiglio da San
Giovanni d’Acri’, in Studi per Laura Breglia (Supplemento al n. 4/1987 (parte II) del Bollettino di
Numismatica, 1987), pp. 219–25.
33
See M.L. Bates and D.M. Metcalf, ‘Crusader coinage with Arabic inscriptions’, in H.W. Hazard and
N.P. Zacour (eds), A History of the Crusades, 6, (Wisconsin, 1989), pp. 444–8; P. Balog and J. Yvon,
‘Monnaies à legendes arabes de l’Orient latin’, RN 6 (1958), pp. 133–68.
34
See D. Jacoby, ‘The fonde of crusader Acre and its tariff: some new considerations’, in M. Balard,
B.Z. Kedar, J. Riley Smith (eds), Dei Gesta Per Francos: Études sur les croisades dédiées à Jean
Richard (Aldershot, 2001), pp. 277–93.
35
For the merchant manuals see, for example, Pegolotti’s Pratica, reflecting conditions around the
1280s, which noted that the ‘Bisanti’ of Acre were worth virtually the same as ‘Allesandria Bisanti’,
Francesco Balducci Pegolotti, La pratica della mercatura, ed. A. Evans (Cambridge, 1936), 12, II.
For charter material of this period see R. Röhricht, Regesta Regni Hierosolymitani (Berlin, 1893), pp.
205–394; Addendum (Berlin, 1904), pp. 50–104.
36
R. Irwin, ‘The supply of money and the direction of trade in thirteenth century Syria’, in P.W.
Edbury and D.M. Metcalf (eds), Coinage of the Latin East: The Fourth Oxford Symposium on Coinage
and Monetary History (BAR International Series 77) (Oxford, 1980), p. 92; S. Heidemann, ‘Economic
growth and currency in Ayyubid Palestine’, in R. Hillenbrand and S. Auld (eds), Ayyūbid Jerusalem:
The Holy City in Context, 1187–1250 (London, 2009), pp. 276–300.
37
Röhricht, ‘Regesta’ (n. 35), nos 869 (AD 1214), 1290a (AD 1260), 1453 (AD 1284).
38
Crusader imitation dinars of the thirteenth century were both of a lower fineness (60–70% gold)
and weight (3.5 grams and lower), see Bates and Metcalf, ‘Crusader coinage’ (n. 33), pp. 444–5 and in
particular Metcalf, ‘Crusader gold bezants’ (n. 31), pp. 208–18.
32
275
HOARD TWICE BURIED?
CATALOGUE
(by mints and dynasties)39
All the coins are illustrated on Pls 43 – 48
THE FATIMIDS
AL-ISKANDARƮYAH
AL-MUSTANৡIR BILLƖH (AH 427–87 / AD 1036–94)
Obv. Field, four concentric circles containing three marginal inscriptions, with a pellet in
the central circle.
First marginal inscription: Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴόΑέ΃ϭ βϤΧ ΔϨγ ΔϳέΪϨϜγϻΎΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ௌ ϢδΑ
Second marginal inscription: ΪϤμϟ΍ ϪϟϹ΍ ΪϴΣϮΘϟ Ϊόϣ ϡΎϣϹ΍ ΎϋΩ
Third marginal inscription: ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΃ ͿΎΑ ήμϨΘδϤϟ΍
Rev. Field, four concentric circles containing three marginal inscriptions, with a pellet in
the central circle.
First marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
Second marginal inscription: ϦϴϠγήϤϟ΍ ήϴΧ ήϳίϭϭ ϦϴϴλϮϟ΍ Ϟπϓ΃ ϲϠϋϭ
Third marginal inscription: ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ ௌ ϻ· Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
445 AH
1.
Ã
-h
20.20 mm
4.04 g
IAA139301
465
2.
Ã
-h
21.25 mm
3.76 g
IAA139292
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴΘγϭ βϤΧ Same die as Nicol 1667.
467
3.
Ã
-h
19.70 mm
4.13 g
IAA139355
ΔΌϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴΘγϭ ϊΒγ Nicol 1672.
469
4.
Ã
-h
20.10 mm
4.08 g
IAA139295
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴΘγϭ ϊδΗ Nicol 1674.
470
5.
Ã
-h
19.50 mm
3.95 g
IAA139271
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴόΒγ Nicol 1675.
471
6.
Ã
-h
20.40 mm
4.01 g
IAA139296
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴόΒγϭ ϱΪΣ΍ Nicol 1676.
472
7.
Ã
-h
20.60 mm
3.83 g
IAA139312
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴόΒγϭ ϦϴϨΛ΍ Nicol 1677.
8.
Ã
-h
20.10 mm
3.54 g
IAA139277
9.
Ã
-h
20.30 mm
3.66 g
IAA139321
10. Ã
-h
18.90 mm
3.82 g
IAA139257
473
11. Ã
-h
21.25 mm
4.26 g
IAA139268
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴόΒγϭ ΚϠΛ Nicol 1678.
12. Ã
-h
20.95 mm
3.77 g
IAA139269
13. Ã
-h
20.60 mm
4.16 g
IAA139287
14. Ã
-h
20.60 mm
4.14 g IAA139320
Nicol 1659.
as above, but date is:
as above, but date is:
as above, but date is:
as above, but date is:
as above, but date is:
as above, but date is:
as above.
as above.
as above.
as above, but date is:
as above.
as above.
as above.
39
References in the catalogue use the following abbreviations: Nicol: N.D. Nicol, A Corpus of
Fatimid Coins (Trieste, 2006); Shamma: S. Shamma, al-Nuqud al-Islamiyya allati duribat fi Filastin
(Cairo, 1980); Kazan: W. Kazan, The Coinage of Islam – Collection of William Kazan (Beirut, 1983).
Coins were read and catalogued by I. Baidoun.
276
15.
474
16.
OREN TAL, ROBERT KOOL and ISSA BAIDOUN
Ã
-h
21.20 mm 4.16 g IAA139339 as above.
Ã
-h
22.00 mm 4.05 g IAA139338 as above, but date is:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴόΒγϭ ϊΑέ΍ Nicol 1680.
Obv. Field, in centre six line inscription:
ϝΎϋ \ ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΃ \ ͿΎΑ ήμϨΘδϤϟ΍ \ ϢϴϤΗ ϮΑ΍ ϡΎϣϻ΍ \ Ϫϴϟϭϭ ௌ ΪΒϋ \ Ϊόϣ
Marginal inscription: Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΍ϭ ϦϴόΒγϭ ϦϴϨΛ΍ ΔϨγ ΔϳέΪϨϜγϻΎΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ϢϴΣήϟ΍ ϦϤΣήϟ΍ ௌ ϢδΑ
Rev. Field, in centre five line inscription:
ௌ ϲϟϭ \ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ \ Ϫϟ Ϛϳήη ϻ ϩΪΣϭ \ ௌ ϻ΍ Ϫϟ΍ ϻ \ ϲϠϋ
Marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
472
17.
474
18.
475
19.
20.
476
21.
22
23
24
479
25
26
482
27
484
28
à 03:00h 19.55 mm 4.08 g IAA139347 Nicol 1677.
à 09:00h 21.00 mm 4.23 g IAA139357 as above, but date is:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴόΒγϭ ϊΑέ΍ Nicol 1679.
à 03:00h 23.80 mm 4.13 g IAA139283 as above, but date is:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴόΒγϭ βϤΧ Nicol 1681.
à 00:00h 20.70 mm 4.21 g IAA139310 as above.
à 06:00h 21.60 mm 4.08 g
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴόΒγϭ Ζγ Nicol 1682.
à 03:30h 22.30 mm 4.19 g
à 04:00h 21.70 mm 4.36 g
à 02:00h 22.00 mm 4.32 g
IAA139340 as above, but date is:
IAA139344 as above.
IAA139343 as above.
IAA139279 as above.
à 11:00h 21.75 mm 4.26 g IAA139297 as above, but date is:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴόΒγϭ ϊδΗ Nicol 1686.
à 11:00h 22.55 mm 4.02 g IAA139319 as above.
à 11:30h 19.50 mm 4.23 g IAA139352 as above, but date is:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴϨϤΛϭ ϦϴϨΛ΍ Nicol 1689.
à 05:30h 21.60 mm 4.15 g IAA139290 as above, but date is:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴϨϤΛϭ ϊΑέ΍ Nicol 1691.
AL-MUSTA‘LƮ BILLƖH (AH 487–95 / AD 1094–1101)
Obv. Field, in centre six line inscription:
ϝΎϋ \ ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΍ \ ͿΎΑ ϲϠόΘδϤϟ΍ \ ϢγΎϘϟ΍ ϮΑ΍ ϡΎϣϻ΍ \ Ϫϴϟϭϭ ௌ ΪΒϋ \ ΪϤΣ΍
Marginal inscription: Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴϧΎϤΛϭ ϊδΗ ΔϨγ ΔϳέΪϨϜγϻΎΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ϢϴΣήϟ΍ ϦϤΣήϟ΍ ௌ ϢδΑ
Rev. Field, in centre five line inscription:
ௌ ϲϟϭ \ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ \ Ϫϟ Ϛϳήη ϻ ϩΪΣϭ \ ௌ ϻ΍ Ϫϟ΍ ϻ \ ϲϠϋ
Marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
489
29
à 00:00h 21.55 mm 4.31 g IAA139311 Nicol 2397.
HOARD TWICE BURIED?
277
SIQILLIYYA
AL-ZƖHIR LI-I‘ZƖZ DƮN ALLƖH (AH 411–27 / AD 1021–36)
Obv. Field, in centre three line inscription: ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΃ \ ௌ ϦϳΩ ί΍ΰϋϻ \ ήϫΎψϟ΍
Marginal inscription: Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ Ϧϳήθϋϭ ΪΣ΍ ΔϨγ ΔϴϠϘμΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ௌ ϢδΑ
Rev. Field, in centre three line inscription: ௌ ϲϟϭ ϲϠϋ \ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ \ ௌ ϻ· Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
Marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33).
421
30.
1/4Ã 11:30h 11.95 mm 0.94 g IAA139335 Nicol 1421.
AL-MUSTANৡIR BILLƖH (AH 427–87 / AD 1036–94)
Obv. Field, four concentric circles containing two marginal inscriptions, with a central one
line inscription: Ϊόϣ
First marginal inscription: ΪϤμϟ΍ ϪϟϹ΍ ΪϴΣϮΘϟ Ϊόϣ ϡΎϣϹ΍ ΎϋΩ
Second marginal inscription: ϦϴϠγήϤϟ΍ ήϴΧ ήϳίϭϭ ϦϴϴλϮϟ΍ Ϟπϓ΃ ϲϠϋϭ
Rev. Field, four concentric circles containing two marginal inscriptions, with a central one
line inscription: ϡΎϣϻ΍
First marginal inscription: ΔϨγ ΔϴϠϘμΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ௌ ϢδΑ
Second marginal inscription: ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ ௌ ϻ· Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
Date missing
31. 1/4Ã 00:00h 10.70 mm 0.96 g IAA139361 two piercings, Nicol cf. 1774.
ৡNjR
AL-MUSTANৡIR BILLƖH (AH 427–87 / AD 1036–94)
Obv. Field, in centre six line inscription:
ϝΎϋ \ ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΃ \ ͿΎΑ ήμϨΘδϤϟ΍ \ ϢϴϤΗ ϮΑ΍ ϡΎϣϻ΍ \ Ϫϴϟϭϭ ௌ ΪΒϋ \ Ϊόϣ
Marginal inscription: Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΍ϭ ϦϴϧΎϤΛϭ ϊΑέ΍ ΔϨγ έϮμΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ϢϴΣήϟ΍ ϦϤΣήϟ΍ ௌ ϢδΑ
Rev. Field, in centre five line inscription:
ௌ ϲϟϭ \ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ \ Ϫϟ Ϛϳήη ϻ ϩΪΣϭ \ ௌ ϻ΍ Ϫϟ΍ ϻ \ ϲϠϋ
Marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
484
32.
à 12:00h 21.40 mm 3.27 g IAA139322 Nicol 1951.
AL-MUSTA‘LƮ BILLƖH (AH 487–95 / AD 1094–1101)
Obv. Field, in centre three line inscription: ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΍ \ ͿΎΑ ϲϠόΘδϤϟ΍ \ ΪϤΣ΍ ϡΎϣϻ΍
Marginal inscription: Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴϧΎϤΛϭ ϥΎϤΛ ΔϨγ έϮμΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ௌ ϢδΑ
Rev. Field, in centre three line inscription: ௌ ϲϟϭ ϲϠϋ\ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ \ ௌ ϻ΍ Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
Marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
488
33.
1/8Ã 08:00h 13.10 mm 0.58 g IAA139331 Nicol 2403.
278
OREN TAL, ROBERT KOOL and ISSA BAIDOUN
৫ARABLUS
AL-MUSTANৡIR BILLƖH (AH 427–87 / AD 1036–94)
Obv. Field, in centre five line inscription:
ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΃ \ ͿΎΑ ήμϨΘδϤϟ΍ \ ϢϴϤΗ ϮΑ΍ ϡΎϣϻ΍ \ Ϫϴϟϭϭ ௌ ΪΒϋ \ Ϊόϣ
First marginal inscription:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΍ϭ ϦϴΜϠΛϭ ϊδΗ ΔϨγ βϠΑ΍ήτΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ϢϴΣήϟ΍ ϦϤΣήϟ΍ ௌ ϢδΑ
Rev. Field, in centre five line inscription:
ௌ ϲϟϭ \ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ \ Ϫϟ Ϛϳήη ϻ ϩΪΣϭ \ ௌ ϻ΍ Ϫϟ΍ ϻ \ ϲϠϋ
First marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
439
34.
440
35.
à 03:00h 21.60 mm 4.21 g IAA139286 Nicol 1993.
à 11:30h 21.30 mm 4.05 g IAA139282 as above, but date is:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴόΑέ΍ Nicol 1994.
Obv. Field, four concentric circles containing three marginal inscriptions, with a pellet in
the central circle.
First marginal inscription: Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴϨΛ΍ ΔϨγ βϠΑ΍ήτΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ௌ ϢδΑ
Second marginal inscription: ΪϤμϟ΍ ϪϟϹ΍ ΪϴΣϮΘϟ Ϊόϣ ϡΎϣϹ΍ ΎϋΩ
Third marginal inscription: ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΃ ͿΎΑ ήμϨΘδϤϟ΍
Rev. Field, four concentric circles containing three marginal inscriptions, with a pellet in
the central circle.
First marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
Second marginal inscription: ϦϴϠγήϤϟ΍ ήϴΧ ήϳίϭϭ ϦϴϴλϮϟ΍ Ϟπϓ΃ ϲϠϋϭ
Third marginal inscription:ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ ௌ ϻ· Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
442
36
448
37
Ã
-h
19.40 mm 3.69 g IAA139266 Nicol 1997.
Ã
-h
19.35 mm 3.08 g IAA139289 as above, but date is:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴόΑέ΍ϭ ϥΎϤΛ Nicol 2003.
‘AKKA
AL-MUSTANৡIR BILLƖH (AH 427–87 / AD 1036–94)
Obv. Field, four concentric circles containing three marginal inscriptions, with a pellet in
the central circle.
First marginal inscription: Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴόΒγϭ ΚϠΛ ΔϨγ ΎϜόΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ௌ ϢδΑ
Second marginal inscription: ΪϤμϟ΍ ϪϟϹ΍ ΪϴΣϮΘϟ Ϊόϣ ϡΎϣϹ΍ ΎϋΩ
Third marginal inscription: ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΃ ͿΎΑ ήμϨΘδϤϟ΍
Rev. Field, four concentric circles containing three marginal inscriptions, with a pellet on
the central circle.
First marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
Second marginal inscription: ϦϴϠγήϤϟ΍ ήϴΧ ήϳίϭϭ ϦϴϴλϮϟ΍ Ϟπϓ΃ ϲϠϋϭ
Third marginal inscription: ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ ௌ ϻ· Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
HOARD TWICE BURIED?
473
38.
Ã
-h
279
21.45 mm 3.62 g IAA139341 Nicol 2031.
AL-MUSTA‘LƮ BILLƖH (AH 487–95 / AD 1094–1101)
Obv. Field, in centre three line inscription: ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΍ \ ͿΎΑ ϲϠόΘδϤϟ΍ \ ΪϤΣ΍ ϡΎϣϻ΍
Marginal inscription: Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴϧΎϤΛϭ ϥΎϤΛ ΔϨγ ΎϜόΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ௌ ϢδΑ
Rev. Field, in centre three line inscription: ௌ ϲϟϭ ϲϠϋ\ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ \ ௌ ϻ΍ Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
Marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
488
39.
1/4Ã 09:00h 15.3 mm
1.01 g IAA139332 as above, pierced, Nicol cf. 2409.
Mint and date missing
40. 1/4Ã 08:00h 14.35 mm 0.84 g IAA139358 as above
FILAS৫ƮN
AL-MUSTANৡIR BILLƖH (AH 427–87 / AD 1036–94)
Obv. Field, in centre four line inscription: ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ήϴϣ΃ ͿΎΑ \ ήμϨΘδϤϟ΍ ϢϴϤΗ \ ϮΑ΍ ϡΎϣϻ΍ \ Ϊόϣ
Marginal inscription: Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΍ϭ ϦϴΜϠΛϭ ϊΑέ΍ ΔϨγ ϦϴτδϠϔΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ϢϴΣήϟ΍ ϦϤΣήϟ΍ ௌ ϢδΑ
Rev. Field, in centre five line inscription:
ௌ ϲϟϭ \ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ \ Ϫϟ Ϛϳήη ϻ ϩΪΣϭ \ ௌ ϻ΍ Ϫϟ΍ ϻ \ ϲϠϋ
Marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
434
41.
437
42.
à 00:00h
21.35 mm 3.93 g
IAA139299 Shamma 5–7.
à 07:00h 22.00 mm 4.25 g IAA139281 as above, but date is:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴΜϠΛϭ ϊΒγ Shamma 16.
MIৡR
AL-MU‘IZZ LƮ-DƮN ALLƖH (AH 341–65 / AD 953–75)
Obv. Field, four concentric circles containing three marginal inscriptions, without pellet in
central circle.
First marginal inscription: Δ΋ΎϤΜϠΛϭ ϦϴδϤΧϭ ϥΎϤΛ ΔϨγ ήμϤΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ௌ ϢδΑ
Second marginal inscription: ΪϤμϟ΍ ϪϟϹ΍ ΪϴΣϮΘϟ Ϊόϣ ϡΎϣϹ΍ ΎϋΩ
Third marginal inscription: ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΃ ௌ ϦϳΪϟ ΰόϤϟ΍
Rev. Field, four concentric circles containing three marginal inscriptions, without pellet in
central circle.
First marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
Second marginal inscription: ϦϴϠγήϤϟ΍ ήϴΧ ήϳίϭϭ ϦϴϴλϮϟ΍ Ϟπϓ΍ ϲϠϋϭ
Third marginal inscription: ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ ௌ ϻ΍ Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
358
43.
Ã
-h
19.75 mm 3.74 g IAA139270 pierced, Nicol 349.
280
OREN TAL, ROBERT KOOL and ISSA BAIDOUN
AL-‘AZƮZ BILLƖH (AH 365–86 / AD 975–96)
Obv. Field, four concentric circles containing two marginal inscriptions, with a pellet in
central circle.
First marginal inscription: Δ΋ΎϤΜϠΛϭ βϤΨϤΧ ΔϨγ ήμϤΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ௌ ϢδΑ
Second marginal inscription: ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΃ ͿΎΑ ΰϳΰόϟ΍ ϡΎϣϹ΍ έ΍ΰϧ Ϫϴϟϭϭ ௌ ΪΒϋ
Rev. Field, four concentric circles containing two marginal inscriptions, with a pellet in
central circle.
First marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
Second marginal inscription: ௌ ΓϮϔλ ήϴΧ ϲϠϋ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ ௌ ϻ΍ Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
375
44.
387
45.
Ã
-h
20.75 mm 3.76 g IAA139280 sic βϤΨϤΧ Nicol 711.
Ã
-h
21.50 mm 4.00 g IAA139293 as above, but date is:
Δ΋Ύϣ ΚϠΛϭ ϦϴϧΎϤΛϭ ϊΒγ Nicol 724. Posthumous issue.
AL-ՁƖKIM BI-AMR ALLƖH (AH 386–411 / AD 996–1022)
Obv. Field, in centre two line inscription: ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΃ \ ௌ ήϣ΄Α ϢϛΎΤϟ΍
First marginal inscription: Δ΋Ύϣ ΚϠΛϭ ϦϴϧΎϤΛϭ ϊΒγ ΔϨγ ήμϤΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ௌ ϢδΑ
Second marginal inscription: ϡΎϣϹ΍ ϲϠϋ ϮΑ΃ έϮμϨϤϟ΍ Ϫϴϟϭϭ ௌ ΪΒϋ
Rev. Field, in centre two line inscription: ௌ ϲϟϭ ϲϠϋ \ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ
First marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) till: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
Second marginal inscription: Ϫϟ Ϛϳήη ϻ ϩΪΣϭ ௌ ϻ΍ Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
387
46.
394
47.
à 12:30h 21.90 mm 4.23 g IAA139258 Nicol 1073.
à 00:00h 20.00 mm 3.77 g IAA139308 Nicol 1080.
Obv. Field, in centre four line inscription:
ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ήϴϣ΃ \ ௌ ήϣ΄Α ϢϛΎΤϟ΍ ϡΎϣϹ΍ \ ϲϠϋ ϮΑ΍ έϮμϨϤϟ΍ Ϫϴϟϭϭ \ ௌ ΪΒϋ
Marginal inscription: Δ΋Ύϣ ϊΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴϨΛ΍ ΔϨγ ήμϤΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ௌ ϢδΑ
Rev. Field, in centre four line inscription:
ௌ ϲϟϭ \ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ Ϫϟ Ϛϳήη \ ϻ ϩΪΣϭ ௌ ϻ· Ϫϟ΍ ϻ \ ϲϠϋ
Marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
402
48.
à 09:00h 20.70 mm 4.05 g IAA139275 pierced, Nicol 1090.
Obv. Field, in centre four line inscription:
ϦϴϤϠδϤϟ΍ ΪϬϋ ϲϟϭ \ ϢϴΣήϟ΍ ΪΒϋϭ ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ \ ήϴϣ΃ ௌ ήϣ΄Α ϢϛΎΤϟ΍ ϡΎϣϹ΍ \ Ϫϴϟϭϭ ௌ ΪΒϋ
Marginal inscription: Δ΋Ύϣ ϊΑέ΃ϭ Ζγ ΔϨγ ήμϤΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ௌ ϢδΑ
Rev. Field, in centre four line inscription: ௌ ϲϟϭ ϲϠϋ \ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ \ Ϫϟ Ϛϳήη ϻ ϩΪΣϭ \ ௌ ϻ· Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
Marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
406
49.
à 07:00h 21.30 mm 4.24 g IAA139273 Nicol 1098.
HOARD TWICE BURIED?
281
Obv. Field, in centre four line inscription:
ϦϴϤϠδϤϟ΍ ΪϬϋ ϲϟϭ \ ϢϴΣήϟ΍ ΪΒϋϭ ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ \ ΍ ήϴϣ΃ ௌ ήϣ΄Α ϢϛΎΤϟ΍ \ ϡΎϣϹ΍ Ϫϴϟϭϭ ௌ ΪΒϋ
Marginal inscription: Δ΋Ύϣ ϊΑέ΃ϭ ήθϋ ΪΣ΍ ΔϨγ ΔϳέϮμϨϤϟΎΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ௌ ϢδΑ
Rev. Field, in centre four line inscription: ௌ ϲϟϭ ϲϠϋ \ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ \ Ϫϟ Ϛϳήη ϻ ϩΪΣϭ \ ௌ ϻ· Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
Marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
AL-ZƖHIR LI-I‘ZƖZ DƮN ALLƖH (AH 411–27 / AD 1021–36)
Obv. Field, in centre two line inscription: ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΃ ௌ \ ϦϳΩ ί΍ΰϋϻ ήϫΎψϟ΍
First marginal inscription: Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΍ϭ ήθϋ Ζγ ΔϨγ ήμϤΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ௌ ϢδΑ
Second marginal inscription: ϡΎϣϻ΍ ϦδΤϟ΍ ϮΑ΍ ϲϠϋ Ϫϴϟϭϭ ௌ ΪΒϋ
Rev. Field, in centre two line inscription: ௌ ϲϟϭ ϲϠϋ \ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ
First marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
Second marginal inscription: Ϫϟ Ϛϳήη ϻ ϩΪΣϭ ௌ ϻ΍ Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
416
50.
à 02:00h 20.30 mm 3.90 g IAA139291 Nicol 1518.
Obv. Field, four concentric circles containing three marginal inscriptions, with a central one
line inscription: ϝΪϋ
First marginal inscription: Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΍ϭ Ϧϳήθϋϭ ϯΪΣ΍ ΔϨγ ήμϤΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ௌ ϢδΑ
Second marginal inscription: ϡΎϣϻ΍ ϦδΤϟ΍ ϮΑ΍ ϲϠϋ Ϫϴϟϭϭ ௌ ΪΒϋ
Third marginal inscription: ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΍ ௌ ϦϳΩ ί΍ΰϋϻ ήϫΎψϟ΍
Rev. Field, four concentric circles containing three marginal inscriptions, with a central one
line inscription: ϝΪϋ
First marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
Second marginal inscription: Ϫϟ Ϛϳήη ϻ ϩΪΣϭ ௌ ϻ΍ Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
Third marginal inscription: ௌ ϲϟϭ ϲϠϋ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ
421
51.
Ã
-h
19.20 mm 4.14 g IAA139298 Nicol 1526.
AL-MUSTANৡIR BILLƖH (AH 427–87 / AD 1036–94)
Obv. Field, in centre three line inscription: ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ήϴϣ΃ ͿΎΑ \ ήμϨΘδϤϟ΍ ϢϴϤΗ \ ϮΑ΍ Ϊόϣ ϡΎϣϻ΍
Marginal inscription: Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΍ϭ ϦϴΜϠΛϭ ϦϴϨΛ΍ ΔϨγ ήμϤΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ϢϴΣήϟ΍ ϦϤΣήϟ΍ ௌ ϢδΑ
Rev. Field, in centre four line inscription: ௌ ϲϟϭ ϲϠϋ \ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ \ Ϫϟ Ϛϳήη ϻ ϩΪΣϭ \ ௌ ϻ΍ Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
Marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
432
52.
434
53.
à 02:30h 22.00 mm 4.23 g IAA139317 Nicol 2109.
à 06:00h 20.45 mm 4.23 g IAA139285 as above, but date is:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴΜϠΛϭ ϊΑέ΍ Nicol 2111.
Obv. Field, in centre four line inscription: ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ήϴϣ΃ ͿΎΑ \ ήμϨΘδϤϟ΍ ϢϴϤΗ \ ϮΑ΍ ϡΎϣϻ΍ \ Ϊόϣ
Marginal inscription: Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΍ϭ ϦϴΜϠΛϭ ϥΎϤΛ ΔϨγ ήμϤΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ϢϴΣήϟ΍ ϦϤΣήϟ΍ ௌ ϢδΑ
282
OREN TAL, ROBERT KOOL and ISSA BAIDOUN
Rev. Field, in centre five line inscription:
ௌ ϲϟϭ \ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ \ Ϫϟ Ϛϳήη ϻ ϩΪΣϭ \ ௌ ϻ΍ Ϫϟ΍ ϻ \ ϲϠϋ
Marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
438
54.
à 11:00h 20.40 mm 3.94 g IAA139327 Nicol 2117.
Obv. Field, in centre five line inscription:
ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΃ \ ͿΎΑ ήμϨΘδϤϟ΍ \ ϢϴϤΗ ϮΑ΍ ϡΎϣϻ΍ \ Ϫϴϟϭϭ ௌ ΪΒϋ \ Ϊόϣ
First marginal inscription: Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΍ϭ ϦϴΜϠΛϭ ϊδΗ ΔϨγήμϤΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ϢϴΣήϟ΍ ϦϤΣήϟ΍ ௌ ϢδΑ
Rev. Field, in centre five line inscription:
ௌ ϲϟϭ \ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ \ Ϫϟ Ϛϳήη ϻ ϩΪΣϭ \ ௌ ϻ΍ Ϫϟ΍ ϻ \ ϲϠϋ
First marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
439
55.
56.
440
57.
58.
460
59.
à 02:30h 20.80 mm 3.54 g IAA139278 Nicol 2119.
à 02:00h 20.80 mm 4.21 g IAA139314 as above.
à 05:00h 20.80 mm 4.20 g IAA139276 as above, but date is:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴόΑέ΍ Nicol 2121.
à 08:30h 20.50 mm 3.94 g IAA139349 as above.
à 06:00h 21.05 mm 4.34 g IAA139345 as above, but date is:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴΘγ Nicol 2144.
Obv. Field, four concentric circles containing three marginal inscriptions, with a pellet in
the central circle.
First marginal inscription: Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴόΑέ΍ϭ ϦϴΘϨΛ΍ ΔϨγ ήμϤΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ௌ ϢδΑ
Second marginal inscription: ΪϤμϟ΍ ϪϟϹ΍ ΪϴΣϮΘϟ Ϊόϣ ϡΎϣϹ΍ ΎϋΩ
Third marginal inscription: ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΃ ͿΎΑ ήμϨΘδϤϟ΍
Rev. Field, four concentric circles containing three marginal inscriptions, with a pellet in
the central circle.
First marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
Second marginal inscription: ϦϴϠγήϤϟ΍ ήϴΧ ήϳίϭϭ ϦϴϴλϮϟ΍ Ϟπϓ΃ ϲϠϋϭ
Third marginal inscription: ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ ௌ ϻ· Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
442
60.
443
61.
445
62.
63.
446
64.
Ã
-h
20.20 mm 4.18 g IAA139267 Nicol 2124.
Ã
-h
20.05 mm 4.22 g IAA139300 as above, but date:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴόΑέ΃ϭ ΚϠΛ Nicol 2125.
Ã
-h
19.55 mm 4.10 g IAA139350 as above, but date is:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴόΑέ΃ϭ βϤΧ Nicol 2128.
Ã
-h
18.85 mm 3.79 g IAA139324 as above.
Ã
-h
19.20 mm 3.81 g IAA139274 as above, but date:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴόΑέ΃ϭ Ζγ Nicol 2129.
HOARD TWICE BURIED?
447
65.
448
66.
450
67.
453
68.
454
69.
456
70.
457
71.
461
72.
73.
462
74.
463
75.
76.
464
77.
467
78.
79.
470
80.
471
81.
82.
472
83.
Ã
-h
20.90 mm 4.10 g IAA139315 as above, but date is:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴόΑέ΃ϭ ϊΒγ Nicol 2130.
Ã
-h
20.40 mm 4.10 g IAA139342 as above, but date is:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴόΑέ΃ϭ ϥΎϤΛ Nicol 2131.
Ã
-h
18.90 mm 3.68 g IAA139329 as above, but date:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴδϤΧ Nicol 2133.
Ã
-h
20.30 mm 4.28 g IAA139346 as above, but date is:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴδϤΧϭ ΚϠΛ Nicol 2136.
Ã
-h
19.80 mm 4.24 g IAA139265 as above, but date is:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴδϤΧϭ ϊΑέ΍ Nicol 2137.
Ã
-h
18.90 mm 3.88 g IAA139303 as above, but date is:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴδϤΧϭ Ζγ Nicol 2140.
Ã
-h
21.05 mm 4.22 g IAA139354 as above, but date is:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴδϤΧϭ ϊΒγ Nicol 2141.
Ã
-h
19.75 mm 3.84 g IAA139264 as above, but date is:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴΘγϭ ϯΪΣ΍ Nicol 2146.
Ã
-h
19.95 mm 4.03 g IAA139326 as above.
Ã
-h
21.00 mm 4.13 g IAA139309 as above, but date is:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴΘγϭ ϦϴΘϨΛ΍ Nicol 2147.
Ã
-h
19.90 mm 4.17 g IAA139294 as above, but date is:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴΘγϭ ΚϠΛ Nicol 2148.
Ã
-h
20.00 mm 4.21 g IAA139316 as above.
Ã
-h
21.00 mm 4.16 g IAA139304 as above, but date is:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴΘγϭ ϊΑέ΍ Nicol 2149.
Ã
-h
20.80 mm 4.24 g IAA139325 as above, but date is:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴΘγϭ ϊΒγ Nicol 2152.
Ã
-h
20.45 mm 4.17 g IAA139306 as above.
Ã
-h
20.35 mm 4.21 g IAA139288 as above, but date is:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴόΒγ Nicol 2155.
Ã
-h
22.00 mm 4.05 g IAA139356 as above, but date:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴόΒγϭ ϯΪΣ΍ Nicol 2156.
Ã
-h
21.20 mm 4.11 g IAA139305 as above.
Ã
-h
22.25 mm 3.87 g IAA139307 as above, but date is:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴόΒγϭ ϦϴϨΛ΍ Nicol 2157.
283
284
OREN TAL, ROBERT KOOL and ISSA BAIDOUN
Obv. Field, in centre six line inscription:
ϝΎϋ \ ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΃ \ ͿΎΑ ήμϨΘδϤϟ΍ \ ϢϴϤΗ ϮΑ΍ ϡΎϣϻ΍ \ Ϫϴϟϭϭ ௌ ΪΒϋ \ Ϊόϣ
Marginal inscription: Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΍ϭ ϦϴόΒγϭ ϊΑέ΍ ΔϨγήμϤΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ϢϴΣήϟ΍ ϦϤΣήϟ΍ ௌ ϢδΑ
Rev. Field, in centre five line inscription:
ௌ ϲϟϭ \ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ \ Ϫϟ Ϛϳήη ϻ ϩΪΣϭ \ ௌ ϻ΍ Ϫϟ΍ ϻ \ ϲϠϋ
Marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
458 (?)
84. Ã 08:00h 20.50 mm 4.32 g IAA139353 date is: Δ΋ΎϤϋ[Ώ]έ΃ϭ ϦϴδϤΣϭ ϥΎϤΛ
Inscriptions are not well executed. Date seems to read AH 458 (1065/6) which is
irregular since the earliest date known for this type is AH 467 (1074/5). This is
probably a contemporary imitation. An alternative reading dated it to 474/ 1081/2.
474
85. Ã 06:30h 20.95 mm 4.19 g IAA139284 Nicol 2159.
476
86. 1/2Ã 00:00h 20.95 mm 2.04 g IAA139302 as above, but date is:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴόΒγϭ Ζγ Nicol 2161.
478
87. Ã 06:30h 22.10 mm 4.17 g IAA139313 as above, but date is:
˰όΑέ΃ϭ ˰όΒγ ϭ ϥΎϤΛ Nicol cf. 2163.
486
88. Ã 10:00h 21.50 mm 4.31 g IAA139351 as above, but date is:
Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ ϦϴϧΎϤΛ ϭ Ζγ Nicol 2173.
AL-MANৡNjRIYYA
AL-‘AZƮZ BILLƖH (AH 365–86 / AD 975–96)
Obv. Field, four concentric circles containing two marginal inscriptions, with a pellet in
central circle.
First marginal inscription: Δ΋ΎϤΜϠΛϭ ϦϴΘγ ϊδΗ ΔϨγ ΔϳέϮμϨϤϟΎΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ௌ ϢδΑ
Second marginal inscription: ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΃ ͿΎΑ ΰϳΰόϟ΍ ϡΎϣϹ΍ έ΍ΰϧ Ϫϴϟϭϭ ௌ ΪΒϋ
Rev. Field, four concentric circles containing two marginal inscriptions, with a pellet in
central circle.
First marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
Second marginal inscription: ௌ ΓϮϔλ ήϴΧ ϲϠϋ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ ௌ ϻ΍ Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
369 h.
89. Ã
-h
Date missing
90.
Ã
-h
18.95 mm 4.15 g IAA139259 Nicol 750.
21.10 mm 3.47 g IAA139328 cf. Nicol 750.
AL-ՁƖKIM BI-AMR ALLƖH (AH 386–411 / AD 996–1022)
Obv. Field, in centre four line inscription:
ϦϴϤϠδϤϟ΍ ΪϬϋ ϲϟϭ \ ϢϴΣήϟ΍ ΪΒϋϭ ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ \ ΍ ήϴϣ΃ ௌ ήϣ΄Α ϢϛΎΤϟ΍ \ ϡΎϣϹ΍ Ϫϴϟϭϭ ௌ ΪΒϋ
Marginal inscription: Δ΋Ύϣ ϊΑέ΃ϭ ήθϋ ΪΣ΍ ΔϨγ ΔϳέϮμϨϤϟΎΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ௌ ϢδΑ
Rev. Field, in centre four line inscription: ௌ ϲϟϭ ϲϠϋ \ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ \ Ϫϟ Ϛϳήη ϻ ϩΪΣϭ \ ௌ ϻ· Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
Marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
HOARD TWICE BURIED?
411
91.
285
à 02:00h 21.35 mm 3.98 g IAA139261 Nicol 1174.
Obv. Field, in centre three line inscription: ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΃ \ ϡΎϣϻ΍ ͿΎΑ \ έϮμϨϤϟ΍
Marginal inscription: ... ΔϨγ ΔϳέϮμϨϤϟΎΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ௌ ϢδΑ
Rev. Field, in centre three line inscription: ௌ ϲϟϭ ϲϠϋ \ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ \ ௌ ϻ΍ Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
Marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
Date missing
92.
1/4Ã 04:00h 11.20 mm 0.97 g IAA139362 Nicol cf. 1195.
AL-ZƖHIR LI-I‘ZƖZ DƮN ALLƖH (AH 411–27 / AD 1021–36)
Obv. Field, in centre three line inscription: ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΃ \ ௌ ϦϳΩ ί΍ΰϋϻ \ ήϫΎψϟ΍
Marginal inscription: Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΃ϭ Ϧϳήθϋϭ ϦϴϨΛ΍ ΔϨγ ΔϳέϮμϨϤϟΎΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ௌ ϢδΑ
Rev. Field, in centre three line inscription: ௌ ϲϟϭ ϲϠϋ \ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ \ ௌ ϻ· Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
Marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33).
422
93.
1/4Ã 09:30h 12.05 mm 0.95 g IAA139272 pierced, Nicol 1560.
AL-MUSTANৡIR BILLƖH (AH 427–87 / AD 1036–94)
Obv. Field, in centre four line inscription: ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ήϴϣ΃ \ ͿΎΑ ήμϨΘδϤϟ΍ \ ϢϴϤΗ ϮΑ΍ Ϊόϣ \ ϡΎϣϻ΍
Marginal inscription: έ΍ϭ ϦϴΜϠΛϭ ΚϠΛ ΔϨγ ΔϳέϮμϨϤϟΎΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ϢϴΣήϟ΍ ϦϤΣήϟ΍ ௌ ϢδΑ
Rev. Field, in centre four line inscription: ௌ ϲϟϭ ϲϠϋ \ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ \ Ϫϟ Ϛϳήη ϻ ϩΪΣϭ \ ௌ ϻ΍ Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
Marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
433
94.
95.
à 08:00h 23.40 mm 3.97 g IAA139263 Nicol 2195.
à 09:00h 24.00 mm 4.03 g IAA139364 as above, but date is unclear.
AL-MAHDIYYA
AL-‘AZƮZ BILLƖH (AH 365–86 / AD 975–96)
Obv. Field, four concentric circles containing two marginal inscriptions, with a pellet in
central circle.
First marginal inscription: Δ΋Ύϣ ΚϠΛϭ ϦϴόΒγϭ ϊΒγ ΔϨγ ΔϳΪϬϤϟΎΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ௌ ϢδΑ
Second marginal inscription: ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΃ ͿΎΑ ΰϳΰόϟ΍ ϡΎϣϹ΍ έ΍ΰϧ Ϫϴϟϭϭ ௌ ΪΒϋ
Rev. Field, four concentric circles containing two marginal inscriptions, with a pellet in
central circle.
First marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
Second marginal inscription: ௌ ΓϮϔλ ήϴΧ ϲϠϋ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ ௌ ϻ΍ Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
377
96.
à 00:00h 18.10 mm 3.84 g IAA139348 Nicol 810.
286
OREN TAL, ROBERT KOOL and ISSA BAIDOUN
AL-MUSTANৡIR BILLƖH (AH 427–87 / AD 1036–94)
Obv. Field, in centre two line inscription: ϢϴϤΗ ϮΑ΍ \ Ϊόϣ ϡΎϣϻ΍
First marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
Second marginal inscription: ϦϴϠγήϤϟ΍ ήϴΧ ήϳίϭϭ ϦϴϴλϮϟ΍ Ϟπϓ΍ ϲϠϋ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ ௌ ϻ΍ Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
Rev. Field, in centre two line inscription: ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΍ \ ͿΎΑ ήμϨΘδϤϟ΍
First marginal inscription: Δ΋ΎϤόΑέ΍ϭ ϦϴΘγϭ ΚϠΛ ΔϨγ ϡήΤϤϟ΍ ήϬη ΔϳΪϬϤϟΎΑ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍άϫ Ώήο ௌ ϢδΑ
Second marginal inscription: ΪϤμϟ΍ Ϫϟϻ΍ ΪϴΣϮΘϟ Ϊόϣ ϡΎϣϻ΍ ΎϋΩ
al-Mu‫ۊ‬arram 463
97.
à 12:00h 21.35 mm 4.19 g IAA139262 Nicol 2240.
NO MINT, UNDATED
AL-ՁƖKIM BI-AMR ALLƖH (AH 386–411 / AD 996–1022)
Obv. Field, in centre four line inscription: ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΍ \ ௌ ήϣΎΑ ϢϛΎΤϟ΍ \έϮμϨϤϟ΍ \ ϡΎϣϻ΍
Marginal inscription: mint and date are missing.
Rev. Field, in centre four line inscription: ௌ ϲϟϭ ϲϠϋ \ ΪϤΤϣ \ ௌ \ ϝϮγέ
Marginal inscription: Ϫϟ Ϛϳήη ϻ ϩΪΣϭ ௌ ϻ΍ Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
98.
1/4Ã 11:00h 11.50 mm 0.81 g IAA139359 pierced, Nicol cf. type K6, p. 120.
MINT AND DATE MISSING
AL-ՁƖKIM BI-AMR ALLƖH (AH 386–411 / AD 996–1022)
Obv. Field, in centre four line inscription: ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΍ \ ௌ ήϣΎΑ ϢϛΎΤϟ΍ \ ϡΎϣϻ΍ ϲϠϋ ϮΑ΍ \ έϮμϨϤϟ΍
Marginal inscription: mint and date missing.
Rev. Field, in centre three line inscription: ௌ ϲϟϭ ϲϠϋ \ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ \ ௌ ϻ· Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
Marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33)
99.
1/4Ã 01:00h 12.60 mm 0.98 g IAA139333 clipped, Nicol cf. type H6, p. 117.
Obv. Field, in centre three line inscription: ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΍ \ ϢϛΎΤϟ΍ ϲϠϋ ϮΑ΍ \ έϮμϨϤϟ΍ ϡΎϣϻ΍
Marginal inscription: mint and date missing.
Rev. Field, in centre three line inscription: ௌ ϲϟϭ ϲϠϋ \ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ \ ௌ ϻ· Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
Marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33).
100. 1/4Ã 05:00h 11.10 mm 0.93 g IAA139336 clipped, Nicol cf. type F1, p. 115.
Obv. Field, in centre four line inscription: ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΍ \ ௌ ήϣΎΑ ϢϛΎΤϟ΍ \ ϡΎϣϻ΍ ϲϠϋ ϮΑ΍ \ έϮμϨϤϟ΍
Marginal inscription: ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΃ ௌ ήϣ΄Α ϢϛΎΤϟ΍ ϡΎϣϹ΍ Ϫϴϟϭϭ ௌ ΪΒϋ
Rev. Field, in centre three line inscription: ௌ ϲϟϭ ϲϠϋ \ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ \ ௌ ϻ· Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
Marginal inscription: mint and date missing.
101. 1/4Ã 02:00h 10.60 mm 0.94 g IAA139337 clipped, Nicol cf. types H4, 5, 6, p.
117.
HOARD TWICE BURIED?
287
Obv. Field, in centre four line inscription: ϲϠϋ ϮΑ΍ \ ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΍ \ ௌ ήϣΎΑ ϢϛΎΤϟ΍ \ έϮμϨϤϟ΍ ϡΎϣϻ΍
Marginal inscription: mint and date missing.
Rev. Field, in centre three line inscription: ௌ ϲϟϭ ϲϠϋ \ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ \ ௌ ϻ· Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
Marginal inscription: mint and date missing.
102. 1/4Ã 01:00h 11.10 mm 0.93 g IAA139360 clipped.
AL-ZƖHIR LI-I‘ZƖZ DƮN ALLƖH (AH 411–27 / AD 1021–36)
Obv. Field, in centre two line inscription: ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΃ ௌ \ ϦϳΩ ί΍ΰϋϻ ήϫΎψϟ΍
First marginal inscription: mint and date missing.
Second marginal inscription: ϡΎϣϻ΍ ϦδΤϟ΍ ϮΑ΍ ϲϠϋ Ϫϴϟϭϭ ௌ ΪΒϋ
Rev. Field, in centre two line inscription: ௌ ϲϟϭ ϲϠϋ \ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ
First marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
Second marginal inscription: Ϫϟ Ϛϳήη ϻ ϩΪΣϭ ௌ ϻ΍ Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
103. Ã 06:30h 21.20 mm 3.66 g IAA139323 Nicol cf. type A1, p. 180.
Obv. Field, in centre three line inscription: ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ \ ήϴϣ΃ ௌ ϦϳΩ \ ί΍ΰϋϻ ήϫΎψϟ΍
Marginal inscription: mint and date missing.
Rev. Field, in centre three line inscription: ௌ ϲϟϭ ϲϠϋ \ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ \ ௌ ϻ΍ Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
Marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
104. 1/4Ã 03:00h 10.95 mm 1.03 g IAA139330 Type not recorded by Nicol.
AL-MUSTANৡIR BILLƖH (AH 427–87 / AD 1036–94)
Obv. Field, in centre three line inscription, with pellet above and below:
ϦϴϨϣΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΃ \ ͿΎΑ ήμϨΘδϤϟ΍ Ϊόϣ \ ϢϴϤΗ ϮΑ΃ ϡΎϣϻ΍
Marginal inscription: mint and date missing.
Rev. Field, in centre three line inscription: ௌ ϲϟϭ ϲϠϋ \ ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ \ ௌ ϻ΍ Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
Marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33).
105. 1/4Ã 09:00h 12.40 mm 1.00 g IAA139363 Type not recorded by Nicol.
MINT AND DATE UNCERTAIN
AL-‘AZƮZ BILLƖH (AH 365–86 / AD 975–96)
Obv. Field, four concentric circles containing two marginal inscriptions, with a pellet in
central circle.
First marginal inscription (sic): ...ϡϼδϟ΍ ϪϴϠϋ .... ΔϨϳΪϣ ... ΔϨγ ήϨϳΪϟ΍ ΍ΫΎϫ Ώήο ௌ ϢδΑ
Second marginal inscription (sic): ௌ ΓϮϔλ ήϳΎΧ ϲϠϋ ௌ ϝϮδγέ ΪϤΤϣ ௌ ϻ΍ Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
First marginal inscription: ௌ ϻ΍ Ϫϟ΍ ϻ with (Qur’Ɨn IX: 33) ending with: ϥϮϛήθϤϟ΍
Second marginal inscription: ΆϤϟ΍ ήϴϣ΃ ͿΎΑ ΰϳΰόϟ΍ ϡΎϣϹ΍ έ΍ΰϧ Ϫϴϟϭϭ ௌ ΪΒϋ
Many mistakes in the legends.
Rev. Field, four concentric circles containing two marginal inscriptions, with a pellet in
central circle.
106. 1/4Ã -h
12.85 mm 0.95 g IAA139334 pierced, Nicol cf. type A1b, p. 72.
288
OREN TAL, ROBERT KOOL and ISSA BAIDOUN
THE ZIRIDS
MADƮNAT IZZI AL-ISLƖM AL-QAYRAWƖN
ABNj TAMƮM AL-MU‘IZZ IBN BƖDƮS (AH 406–54 / AD 1016–62)
(ANONYMOUS SUNNI COINAGE)
Obv. Field, in centre three line inscription: ௌ ϝϮγέ ΪϤΤϣ \ Ϫϟ Ϛϳήη ϻ ϩΪΣϭ \ ௌ ϻ΍ Ϫϟ΍ ϻ
Marginal inscription: (Qur’Ɨn 33:45–6)
ௌ ϰϟ΍ Ύϴϋ΍Ωϭ ΍ήϳάϧϭ ΍ήθΒϣϭ ΍ΪϫΎη ϙΎϨϠγέ΍ Ύϧ΍ ϲΒϨϟ΍ ΎϬϳ΍ Ύϳ
Rev. Field, in centre three line inscription: (Qur’Ɨn 3:85 in part)
ϪϨϣ ϞΒϘϳ ϦϠϓ \ ΎϨϳΩ ϡϼγϻ΍ \ ήϴϏ ώΘΒϳ Ϧϣϭ
Marginal inscription: ϦϴόΑέ΍ϭ ϊΑέ΍ ΔϨγ ϥ΍ϭήϴϘϟ΍ϭ ϡϼγϻ΍ ΰϋ ΔϨϳΪϤΑ Ώήο ௌ ϢδΑ
[4]44
107. Ã 12:30h 21.20 mm 4.25 g IAA139318 Kazan cf. 631.
Date missing
108. Ã 03:00h 23.05 mm 4.12 g IAA139260 as above.
XRF ANALYSIS OF THE GOLD COINS DISCOVERED IN THE HOARD
Until now work on the chemical composition of Fatimid gold coins has been
relatively limited. Previous research in this field involved mainly unprovenanced
museum collection material examined by Specific Gravity Analysis.40 The chemical
analysis of coins from a controlled excavation like Arsur therefore constitutes an
important addition to our knowledge in this field. All the coins in the Arsur hoard
underwent X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) metallurgical analysis. The process involves
aiming a beam of X-rays at a small area on the coin’s surfaces and measuring the
wavelength and intensity of the secondary X-rays that are ‘fluoresced’ by the area
hit by the primary X-rays. The wavelengths correspond to the elements present,
and their intensity is directly related to their concentration. The technique relies
on precise geometry between the sample surface and the detector. The X-rays only
penetrate about 20 microns and as such, this procedure is considered a surface
analytical technique—leaving open the question whether the volume (area x depth)
analyzed is representative of the whole object. With coins this is not always the case,
since the composition of the surface is sometimes changed by segregation during
solidification or heat treatment, by corrosion processes or by human agency (e.g.,
chemical cleaning). However for high gold content (and thin) coins such as Fatimid
dinars and their fractions the method seems to be highly accurate. Also the quality
and accuracy of hand-held, portable XRFs, like the one used here, have improved
dramatically in the last few years. This is particularly due to a combination of advanced
analytical software and advancements such as the development of silicon drift large
area cooled detectors with improved energy resolution, and the production of small
W.A. Oddy, ‘The gold contents of Fatimid coins reconsidered’, in D.M. Metcalf and W.A. Oddy
(eds), MIN 1 (London, 1980), pp. 99–118. See also the earlier article by A.S. Ehrenkreutz ‘Studies in
the monetary history of the Near East in the Middle Ages II: The standard of fineness of western and
eastern dinars before the Crusades’, JESHO 6/3 (1963), pp. 256–61.
40
289
HOARD TWICE BURIED?
50kv, 2w dedicated X-ray tubes with good stability. This allowed for considerable
higher precision, improved detection limits and reduced interference compared with
previous generation instruments. It is now possible to analyze elements from Mg(12)
to U(92). For the current analysis we used a Thermo-Scientific Niton XL2 GOLDD
XRF analyzer with electronic metals matrix and a small-spot (3 mm diam.) window,
which reads to 0.01 weight percent in bulk analysis; the accuracy and precision are
element-specific, but in many cases the precision is as great as 0.01–0.1% for all
elements analysed. The manufacturer gives the Fe detection limit for Fe in a Cu
matrix as roughly 100ppm = 0.01% (3 sigma,100s measuring time).
The main advantages of the technique are that it can be used quickly, nondestructively, and requires little or no sample preparation. To produce the best results,
the upper layers of the coins’ surface in area analyzed should be carefully removed
to measure the alloy of the core surface. Potentially, such measures could cause
considerable damage to the artefact, and since gold Fatimid dinars are relatively
expensive, we decided to leave the coins untouched (apart from being washed
with water and dried) prior to their analysis. We recognize that results provided by
destructive metallurgical analyses would have provided more reliable and accurate
estimates of gold content for coins of relatively lower gold content. All 108 gold
coins we analyzed and with the exception of one coin (no. 30, a quarter dinar minted
in Sicily which often have a lower gold content) were found to have a gold content
higher than 92%. Ten of these have a gold content between 92%–95%, while the
remainder 98 coins contain between 96%–99% gold.
The following table of XRF analysis (Table 2) has been included as a preliminary
database in the interests of scholarly transparency.
Table 2. XRF analysis of the coins in the Arsur hoard
Cat.
no
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Au
97.477
97.685
98.429
98.769
97.123
97.638
96.95
97.597
99.087
97.39
98.067
97.461
99.073
97.217
98.805
Au
Error
0.265
0.306
0.287
0.266
0.31
0.285
0.258
0.264
0.305
0.334
0.332
0.27
0.265
0.265
0.294
Ag
1.774
1.721
0.192
0.185
1.929
1.825
1.836
1.672
0.646
1.417
1.177
1.891
0.131
1.655
0.349
Ag
Error
0.048
0.048
0.022
0.022
0.049
0.048
0.048
0.046
0.032
0.044
0.04
0.05
0.02
0.047
0.026
Fe
0.294
0.15
0.297
0.135
0.444
0.119
0.431
0.234
0.124
0.573
0.489
0.228
0.409
0.479
0.216
Fe
Error
0.04
0.035
0.04
0.033
0.044
0.033
0.044
0.037
0.034
0.049
0.046
0.038
0.043
0.046
0.037
Bi
Error
0.083
0.085
0.085
0.084
0.083
0.084
0.082
0.082
0.088
0.084
0.084
0.084
0.085
0.086
0.085
Pb
Error
0.064
0.062
0.062
0.062
0.062
0.062
0.059
0.061
0.065
0.062
0.063
0.063
0.062
0.064
0.063
Hg
Error
0.097
0.098
0.1
0.097
0.095
0.096
0.096
0.095
0.196
0.098
0.097
0.193
0.097
0.099
0.098
Duration
30.24
30.44
30.17
30.27
31.06
31.1
30.53
30.31
30.54
30.36
30.72
30.3
30.79
30.25
30.28
290
Cat.
no
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
OREN TAL, ROBERT KOOL and ISSA BAIDOUN
Au
97.67
96.627
98.394
98.107
98.133
98.158
98.139
98.025
98.664
98.205
97.679
96.553
97.213
96.97
90.809
96.658
96.849
98.355
98.24
96.545
97.096
98.234
98.663
97.738
97.553
96.728
95.178
98.077
98.319
98.103
92.914
98.089
98.229
98.111
97.531
97.858
97.572
98.467
98.096
Au
Error
0.265
0.273
0.26
0.261
0.291
0.259
0.273
0.274
0.285
0.267
0.269
0.259
0.263
0.265
0.283
0.286
0.322
0.307
0.262
0.305
0.282
0.28
0.265
0.328
0.268
0.286
0.292
0.323
0.267
0.256
0.272
0.275
0.332
0.279
0.318
0.324
0.264
0.266
0.293
Ag
1.379
2.396
0.659
0.979
1.095
0.955
0.972
1.07
0.877
1.174
1.464
2.45
2.077
2.264
7.268
2.227
2.093
1.061
1.19
2.653
2.344
1.067
0.459
1.471
1.575
2.485
4.053
1.346
0.999
1.099
6.464
1.315
1.238
1.218
1.491
1.301
1.615
0.961
1.224
Ag
Error
0.043
0.054
0.032
0.037
0.038
0.037
0.037
0.038
0.035
0.04
0.044
0.055
0.052
0.053
0.093
0.053
0.051
0.038
0.04
0.058
0.053
0.038
0.028
0.044
0.045
0.055
0.07
0.043
0.037
0.039
0.086
0.043
0.041
0.041
0.045
0.042
0.046
0.037
0.041
Fe
0.166
0.25
0.263
0.146
0.308
0.192
0.271
0.258
0.172
0.158
0.165
0.181
0.151
0.24
0.22
0.165
0.575
0.073
0.13
0.214
0.232
0.303
0.25
0.194
0.109
0.149
0.19
0.139
0.22
0.127
0.137
0.138
0.197
0.267
0.428
0.312
0.153
0.161
0.243
Fe
Error
0.035
0.038
0.039
0.034
0.04
0.036
0.038
0.038
0.035
0.035
0.034
0.035
0.034
0.037
0.037
0.035
0.048
0.03
0.033
0.037
0.037
0.04
0.037
0.035
0.032
0.034
0.036
0.034
0.037
0.033
0.033
0.034
0.036
0.038
0.044
0.041
0.034
0.034
0.038
Bi
Error
0.084
0.082
0.085
0.084
0.083
0.084
0.084
0.084
0.082
0.085
0.082
0.084
0.084
0.083
0.076
0.083
0.083
0.083
0.084
0.083
0.084
0.084
0.083
0.083
0.082
0.082
0.083
0.088
0.083
0.084
0.079
0.084
0.083
0.083
0.085
0.085
0.084
0.083
0.084
Pb
Error
0.062
0.061
0.061
0.063
0.06
0.062
0.061
0.06
0.061
0.064
0.062
0.062
0.063
0.061
0.059
0.061
0.061
0.062
0.062
0.062
0.059
0.064
0.063
0.064
0.059
0.061
0.061
0.064
0.062
0.061
0.06
0.062
0.062
0.062
0.062
0.062
0.062
0.062
0.061
Hg
Error
0.099
0.097
0.099
0.098
0.097
0.099
0.098
0.097
0.096
0.098
0.098
0.097
0.098
0.095
0.093
0.098
0.096
0.097
0.096
0.096
0.187
0.097
0.098
0.097
0.097
0.096
0.095
0.098
0.097
0.097
0.245
0.099
0.192
0.096
0.098
0.099
0.097
0.096
0.097
Duration
30.23
30.19
30.04
30.84
30.59
30.31
30.52
30.49
30.64
30.08
30.09
30.23
30.29
31.11
30.31
30.1
31.05
30.3
30.66
30.19
30.98
30.61
30.9
31.02
30.65
30.54
30.3
30.45
30.01
30.26
30.87
30.15
30.26
30.62
30.58
30.36
30.61
30.85
30.4
291
HOARD TWICE BURIED?
Cat.
no
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
Au
98.331
98.056
98.183
98.065
98.313
98.674
98.006
98.298
98.124
98.304
97.797
98.085
97.908
98
98.448
98.317
97.712
98.744
97.543
96.313
98.241
97.759
99.114
99.044
97.694
97.807
98.021
97.514
98.202
98.642
98.378
97.589
92.752
97.712
98.373
97.449
95.882
92.425
92.084
Au
Error
0.345
0.255
0.261
0.265
0.296
0.316
0.255
0.264
0.277
0.256
0.321
0.257
0.316
0.276
0.315
0.295
0.293
0.306
0.271
0.299
0.31
0.274
0.287
0.366
0.272
0.261
0.267
0.273
0.263
0.27
0.326
0.325
0.292
0.262
0.307
0.269
0.288
0.271
0.256
Ag
1.096
1.024
1.107
1.072
0.89
0.954
1.322
0.766
1.083
1.026
1.329
0.882
1.099
1.274
1.251
0.957
1.347
0.633
1.833
2.85
1.087
1.416
0.236
0.185
1.52
1.611
1.185
1.623
1.308
0.455
0.9
1.478
6.182
1.482
1.167
1.805
3.256
6.129
6.49
Ag
Error
0.039
0.037
0.039
0.038
0.034
0.037
0.042
0.034
0.039
0.037
0.043
0.035
0.04
0.041
0.043
0.037
0.043
0.032
0.049
0.059
0.039
0.044
0.023
0.023
0.045
0.046
0.04
0.046
0.042
0.027
0.035
0.044
0.087
0.044
0.04
0.048
0.063
0.084
0.086
Fe
0.169
0.199
0.274
0.247
0.223
0.207
0.15
0.224
0.253
0.191
0.319
0.379
0.419
0.16
0.188
0.247
0.292
0.447
0.162
0.32
0.212
0.22
0.207
0.199
0.205
0.146
0.198
0.18
0.126
0.207
0.264
0.36
0.282
0.127
0.331
0.188
0.496
0.353
0.312
Fe
Error
0.035
0.035
0.039
0.038
0.035
0.037
0.034
0.037
0.038
0.035
0.041
0.042
0.044
0.034
0.037
0.038
0.04
0.045
0.035
0.04
0.037
0.037
0.036
0.037
0.036
0.034
0.035
0.035
0.033
0.036
0.038
0.042
0.04
0.033
0.041
0.035
0.046
0.041
0.04
Bi
Error
0.084
0.083
0.086
0.084
0.08
0.085
0.084
0.085
0.084
0.083
0.084
0.083
0.084
0.084
0.09
0.085
0.081
0.087
0.084
0.082
0.086
0.085
0.084
0.086
0.084
0.083
0.082
0.084
0.084
0.084
0.084
0.084
0.082
0.083
0.085
0.083
0.083
0.079
0.08
Pb
Error
0.062
0.062
0.063
0.061
0.058
0.064
0.061
0.062
0.062
0.06
0.062
0.063
0.063
0.061
0.065
0.062
0.062
0.064
0.062
0.061
0.063
0.063
0.064
0.064
0.063
0.061
0.061
0.061
0.061
0.061
0.061
0.063
0.061
0.062
0.063
0.061
0.062
0.059
0.059
Hg
Error
0.097
0.096
0.098
0.098
0.093
0.31
0.096
0.1
0.098
0.096
0.098
0.098
0.1
0.097
0.316
0.099
0.099
0.196
0.098
0.096
0.098
0.099
0.099
0.1
0.097
0.096
0.097
0.097
0.097
0.098
0.096
0.097
0.095
0.098
0.297
0.097
0.188
0.093
0.091
Duration
30.27
31.07
30.05
30.5
33.49
31.18
30.9
30.11
30.44
31.07
30.06
30.57
30.2
30.73
30.14
30.14
30.15
30.2
30.05
31.01
30.35
31.11
30.56
30.22
30.54
30.48
31.05
30.15
30.08
30.09
30.86
30.15
30.36
30.6
30.72
30.35
31.17
30.97
31.07
292
Cat.
no
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
OREN TAL, ROBERT KOOL and ISSA BAIDOUN
Au
98.704
98.538
97.687
97.006
97.785
94.91
93.952
97.661
92.622
96.903
93.959
96.952
97.198
98.913
97.558
Au
Error
0.264
0.259
0.263
0.286
0.313
0.297
0.299
0.306
0.243
0.261
0.268
0.284
0.263
0.268
0.268
Ag
0.715
0.697
1.254
1.864
1.246
4.076
5.16
1.242
5.96
2.051
4.784
1.958
1.664
0.577
1.894
Ag
Error
0.034
0.032
0.041
0.049
0.041
0.07
0.079
0.041
0.081
0.051
0.075
0.049
0.046
0.031
0.05
Fe
Fe
Error
0.259 0.039
0.191 0.035
0.294 0.039
0.86
0.056
0.319 0.04
0.392 0.043
0.126 0.033
0.407 0.043
0.204 0.035
0.287 0.039
0.241 0.037
0.195 0.036
0.174 0.034
< LOD 0.06
0.189 0.036
Bi
Error
0.088
0.083
0.083
0.084
0.084
0.081
0.081
0.084
0.079
0.085
0.08
0.084
0.084
0.086
0.087
Pb
Error
0.065
0.06
0.062
0.063
0.06
0.061
0.061
0.063
0.058
0.063
0.06
0.062
0.061
0.065
0.065
Hg
Error
0.099
0.097
0.098
0.298
0.098
0.096
0.094
0.098
0.093
0.098
0.095
0.097
0.097
0.099
0.098
Duration
30.12
31.09
30.62
30.64
30.85
30.54
30.16
30.6
30.3
30.12
30.8
30.86
30.62
30.42
30.52
PLATE 43
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
TAL, KOOL and BAIDOUN, HOARD TWICE BURIED? (1)
PLATE 44
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
TAL, KOOL and BAIDOUN, HOARD TWICE BURIED? (2)
PLATE 45
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
TAL, KOOL and BAIDOUN, HOARD TWICE BURIED? (3)
PLATE 46
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
TAL, KOOL and BAIDOUN, HOARD TWICE BURIED? (4)
PLATE 47
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
TAL, KOOL and BAIDOUN, HOARD TWICE BURIED? (5)
PLATE 48
101
102
103
106
107
108
104
TAL, KOOL and BAIDOUN, HOARD TWICE BURIED? (6)
105