ARIANNA D’OTTONE UMAYYAD AND ‘ABBASID GLASS ......ARIANNA D’OTTONE 303 purposes – covering a...

ARIANNA D’OTTONE*

UMAYYAD AND ‘ABBASID GLASS STAMPS FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION**

Abstract This contribution intends to present some Umayyad and ‘Abbasid glass stamps, from a large private collection, probably made in Egypt during the 8th-9th century AD, supposedly by the office of weights and measures (d!r al-‘iy!r). Some of them name people that are well known from historical sources (Caliphs, Governors, Finance Directors...), others bear less known names (of executives and, especially, of artisans of Coptic origins). Last but not least, the group also contains anonymous exemplars, as well as disks with pious formula or crude imitative legends. A large private European collection, formed around World War II and re-cently sold by the widow of the collector, gives me the chance to contribute to this volume1.

The collection I am dealing with consists of some hundreds of glass stamps – coin weights2, vessel stamps, tokens and disks used for still unexplained

* Istituto Italiano di Studi Orientali, Sapienza – University of Rome. ** I would like to thank: H.J. Rambach who brought this collection to my attention and

enabled me to study it; M. Bates for his encouragments and St. Heidemann. 1 For the sake of comparison, another private european collection of Islamic glass

weights, vessel stamps and jetons – now divided among different institutions in Prague and Bratislava – is the Josef Michera Collection. The Michera collection, formed between 1900-1947 and recently published, consists of some 209 pieces; see NOVÁK 2006.

2 If it is well known that the Italian Carlo Ottavio Castiglioni was the first who realized the use of these glass disks as coin weights, rather than nummi vitrei – glass coins – as for long time was supposed, less evident is, actually, the location and consistency of the two Kufic

ARIANNA D’OTTONE 303

purposes – covering a wide span of time. Little more than 60 pieces are from pre-islamic times (Egyptian, Roman, Byzantine); however the core of the collection is formed by about 600 islamic specimens, dating back to a period spanning from the early Umayyad to Mamluk times.

I will limit the scope of this contribution to the 19 exemplars issued during the Umayyad and ‘Abbasid caliphate, or referring to this period3, hoping to carry out a complete catalogue of the collection in a near future.

Among the specimens described here there are exemplars naming people well known through historical sources (Caliphs, Governors, Finance Direc-tors...) and others bearing less known names (executives and, especially, artisans of Coptic origins), as well as anonymous exemplars and disks with pious formula or crude, imitative legends.

As for the provenance, it seems possible to consider all this material made in Egypt, during the eighth-ninth century, and at least part of it was probably produced by the office of weights and measures (d!r al-‘iy!r).

The collection also includes some notes, intended to be a tentative classi-fication of the specimens. However in most cases these notes are unreliable4. CATALOGUE The catalogue is arranged chronologically. The description of the specimens consists of: an inventory number (Inv.); the colour, the diameter ( Ø ) in centimetres; the weight (Wt.) in grams; the typology of the exemplar (coin weight, vessel stamps, disk ...); the obverse and, in case, the reverse legend given, for each piece, line by line, as well as, if any, the marginal legend.

The collection is unpublished so the bibliography has to be intended as reference for similar exemplars in other collections.

collections of glass weights and coins of Egyptian provenance cited by Castiglioni in his essay and held by the prince viceroy of that time, Carlo Alberto di Savoia (1798-1849; King of Sardinia 1831-1849); see CASTIGLIONI 1847: p. 9 and p. 14; WALKER 1997. Further researches in the Italian Museums and Coin Cabinets should be done to localize these collections formed with the help of Giuseppe Acerbi, Austrian Consul in Egypt since 1825, who was charged with finding the material. Even before the well known passion for coins of Vittorio Emanuele III – see TRAVAINI 20052 - it seems possible to recognize here another member of the Savoy family with a passion for numismatics and for Islamic glass weights and coins in particular.

3 Fatimid, Ayyubid and Mamluk glass stamps differ from the earlier ones under many respects, so it seemed coherent to limit this paper to the Umayyad and ‘Abbasid exemplars.

4 See infra.

304 UMAYYAD AND ‘ABBASID GLASS STAMPS FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION

I. UMAYYAD

The Caliph ‘Abd al-Malik5 (65-86 AH/AD 685-705)

1. Inv. A2, 11 – Transparent light green; Ø 2 cm ; Wt. 2,18 gr; coin weight:

half d"n!r Pl. 1 - Obv.

li-‘abd All!h ‘Abd al-Malik am"r al-mu’

min"n

!"#$ ! !"# !"#$%

!"#$ !"#$ !"#$

Of the servant of God / ‘Abd al-Malik / the Commander of the Fai / thful Bibliography: LAUNOIS 1969: p. 77. n. 1 (pl. I) - from the same die6. Similar exemplars, but with different weight and different arrangement of the legend: ABDEL-KADER, 1939: p. 399, n. 1 (pl. I)7; LAUNOIS 1959: p. 13, n.1 (pl. I)8. al-Q!sim b.‘Ubaydall!h9 Finance Director (116-124 AH/AD 734-742) 2. Inv. A2,1 – Transparent green; Ø 2,9 cm; Wt. 4,24 gr; coin weight: 1 d"n!r Pl. 2 - Obv.

5 Within the collection, this exemplar was ranged among a group of 6 pieces labelled:

«Omeyyades indeterminés». 6 The weight of Launois' specimen is 2,16 gr and she says it could be a one-half dinar

weight a bit heavier than the average (2,12 gr.); see LAUNOIS 1969: p. 77. The same could be stated for the exemplar in this collection. On the one-half dinar weight see MILES 1948: p. 5.

7 «Étalon monétiforme en verre verdâtre. Sur la face l'inscription suivante: li-'Abd A / ll!h 'Abd / al-Malik am"r / al-mu'min"n "à Abdillah 'Abd-el-Malek, émir des croyants". [...] P. 3 gr., 95», ABDEL-KADER 1939: p. 399, n. 1.

8 For the reading of the first letter as a l!m, see MORTON 1985: p. 45, n. 1. The legend in the BM exemplar reads: «Bismill!h / li-'Abdall!h / al-am"r (In the name of God / of 'Abdallah / the Amir)» and it weighs 4.14gr.; ibid.

9 On al-Q!sim b. ‘Ubayd All!h, son of 'Ubayd All!h b. Al-#ab$!b, see MILES 1948: p. 88. According to the note in the collection the piece was attributed to: «Gouverneur Kurrah-ben-Sharik 706-714».


Bismill!h amara al-Q!sim b. ‘Ubaydall!h

bi-mi%q!l d"n!r w!fin

!"# ! !"# !"#$%& !" !"#$ !

!"#$%& !"#$ !"#

In the name of God / ordered al-Q!sim / b. ‘Ubaydall!h / a weight of a d"n!r / full-weight

Notes: beaded border. Bibliography: MILES 1948: p. 83, n. 27 (pl. I)10; LAUNOIS 1957: p. 27 n. 87-88; FAHMI 1957: p. 66, n. 45-46 (pl. 4). 3. Inv. A2,2 – Translucent green; Ø 3,1 cm; Wt. 5,83 gr; coin weight: fals al-kab"r of 30 &arr'bas11 Pl. 3 - Obv.

Bismill!h mimm! amara bihi a

l-Q!sim b. ‘Ubayd All!h mi%q!l fals12

al-kab"r %al!%"n &arr 'ba an f (sic)13

!"# ! !"" !"# ! !"#$% !" !"#$

! !"#$% !"# !"#$%& !"#$% !"

!"# !" !

In the name of God / of what ordered a / l-Q!sim b. ‘Ubayd / All!h weight of fals / al-kab"r of thirty &arr / 'ba an / f (sic)

Notes: beaded border. Bibliography: ROGER 1873: p. 67, n. 37 (pl. II, n. 1); ROGER 1878: p. 109, n. 17 (pl. II, n. 17) = LANE-POOLE, 1891: 18 p. 6, n. 5; MILES 1951: p. 9, n. 8 (pl. I); FAHMI 1957: p. 69, n. 53-58 (pl. 5); LAUNOIS 1957: p. 29, n. 96-98; MILES 1958: p. 18, n. 49-50; LAUNOIS 1969: p. 78, n. 5; PETRIE 1974: p. 15, n. 112-114 (pl. II-III, n. 112 (113-114)); BALOG 1976: p. 81, n. 152-155 (pl. IX, n. 153); NICOL ET AL. 1982: p. 176, n. 5295-5296.

10 Miles omits to write the preposition "bi-" before mi#q!l. 11 For the weight of the multiple known as fals al-kab"r of 30 &arr'bas, 3/100 of gram

heavier than the ordinary 30 &arr'bas weight, see MILES 1964: p. 85. 12 The letter s"n in the word fals misses a tooth, as Miles pointed out; see MILES 1958: p.

18, n. 49-50. 13 For the mistakes in the legend, see MILES 1951: p. 9; WALKER 1951: p. 149; MILES 1958: p. 18.


II. ‘ABBASID

The Caliph al-Man('r (136-158 AH/AD 754-775)

and ‘Abd al-Malik b. Yaz"d14, Governor and Finance Director (1 Sha‘ban 133-5 Rabi‘ II 136 AH/4 March 751-8 October 753 AD and 26 Ramadan 137-15 Rabi‘ I 141 AH/ 15 March 755-26 July 758 AD); and Kayl15, mu$tasib or head of the d!r al-‘iy!r16. 4. Inv. A2,4 – Black, opaque glass paste; Ø 3 cm; Wt. 4,24 gr; coin weight: 1 d"n!r Pl. 4 - Obv.

Mimm! amara bihi ‘abd All!h ‘Abd

All!h am"r al-mu’ min"n mi%q!l d"n!r

w!fin

!"" !"# !" !"# ! !"# ! !"#$ !"#$

!"#$ !"#$% !"#$ !"#

Among those things which ordered / the servant of God ‘Abd / All!h Com-mander of the Faith / full weight of one d"n!r / full weight Pl. 5 - Rev.

(an‘at Kayl

!"#$ !"#

Manufactured / Kayl Rev. margin

‘Abd al-Malik b. Yaz"d !"# !"#$% !" !"#" ‘Abd al-Malik b. Yaz"d Bibliography: CASANOVA 1893: p. 380, n. 34 (Deuxième catégorie - poids faibles, pl. I, n. 34); LAUNOIS 1969: p. 80, n. 10; PETRIE 1972: p. 17, n. 145 (pl. IV-V, n. 145); BALOG 1976: p. 128, n. 355-356.

14 See MILES 1948: p. 103-106: 105. 15 For the name Kayl, the Arabic version of the Coptic Chael, see MILES 1958: p. 39. 16 For the others Governors and Finance Directors under whom Kayl worked, see BALOG

1980: p. 76, n. 94.


Salama17 Executive under the Finance Director Yaz"d b. #!tim (144-152 AH/AD 769-774) and Mu$ammad b. Sa‘"d (sometime between 152-157 AH/AD 769-774). 5. Inv. A2,7 – Translucent green; Ø 2,99 cm; Wt. 5,81 gr; coin weight: fals of 30 &arr'bas18 Pl. 6 - Obv.

Salama )

!"#$ !

Salama Bibliography: CASANOVA 1893: II, p. 383, n. 72 (Deuxième catégorie – poids faibles, pl. II, n. 72); MILES 1948, p. 127, n. 99-100 (pl. III n. 99); FAHMI 1957: p. 139, n. 186-198 (pl. 23-24); LAUNOIS, 1957: p. 74, n. 372-380; LAUNOIS 1959, p. 26, n. 32 e pl. III; LAUNOIS 1969: p. 82, n. 16; BALOG 1976: p. 157, n. 457; PETRIE 1974: p. 18, n. 189 (pl. VIII-IX, n. 189); MORTON 1985: p. 102-103, nn. 250-253 (pl. 12, n. 251); ELDADA 2002: p. 130, n. 31; NOUJAIAM-LE GARREC 2004: p. 59, n. 29.

Mu$ammad b. Sa‘"d b. ‘Uqba19 Finance Director (sometime between 152-157 AH/AD 769-774) and Saw"rus probably head of the d!r al-‘iy!r under Yaz"d b. #!tim (144-152 AH/AD 762-769) and Mu$ammad b. Sa‘"d, and contemporaneous with Salama20. 6. Inv. A2,3 – Transparent green; Ø 1,9 cm; Wt. 1,4 gr; coin weight: a third-d"n!r Pl. 7 - Obv.

17 The card accompanying the exemplar in the collection reads: «Gouverneur Salam-ben

Rajah 778». However Salama, who issued fals weights, cannot be definitely identified with Salamah b. Ra*!+ (161-162 AH), see MILES 1948: p. 12, footnote 32. For a detailed discussion about the identity of Salama, see MORTON 1991: pp. 35-36, footnote 32. On Salama, see also BALOG 1980: p. 88-89, n. 164.

18 On the average weight of the 30 &arr'bas exemplars, that is 5,847 grams, see MILES 1964: p. 85, Table IV, column 5.

19 On his role of Finance Director, more than Governor, see MILES 1948: p. 118 and footnote 29.

20 See BALOG 1980: p. 89.


amara al- am"r Mu$ammad

b. Sa‘"d mi%q!l %ul%

!"# !" !"#$ !"#" !" !"#$

!"#$% !"# Ordered al- /am"r Mu$ammad / b. Sa‘"d / weight of one-third Pl. 8 - Rev.

,[aba‘ahu] or ([an‘at]

Saw"[rus]21

Manufactured / Saw"rus Rev margin.

[‘alà ya]day [...] (?)22 At the hands of [...] Bibliography: cfr. LAUNOIS 1959: p. 23, n. 23 (pl. II); PETRIE 1974: p. 18, n. 186 (pl. VIII-IX, n. 186).

‘Umar b. Ya$yà23 Executive (sometime between 152 and 157 AH/AD769-774) under the Finance Director Mu$ammad b. Sa‘"d24. 7. Inv. A2,6 – Translucent olive green; Ø 3,2 cm; Wt. 6,22 gr; coin weight: fals of 32 &arr'bas25

21 For the decipherment of the name, an Arabic version of the Coptic version of the Greek (ultimately Latin) name, Severus, see MILES 1958: p. 63.

22 «23. Revers: même centre que 19, 20, 21 et 22. Le même cachet ou le même moule ayant servi à imprimer le revers des pièces d'un diamètre différent, on n'a, parfois sur le ni(f et le ,ul,, que le centre et quelques lettres d'une inscription circulaire, complète sur le dinar», LAUNOIS 1959: p. 23. The names attested in the marginal legend of the dinars are: Salama (LAUNOIS 1959: p. 22, n. 20) and Sa‘"d b. al-Musayyib (LAUNOIS 1959: p. 22, n. 21).

23 The card describing the piece in the collection says: «Calife Omar II 717-20» but Miles was the first to identify 'Umar b. Ya$yà with the official 'Umar [...] and to assign him to the period of Mu$ammad b. Sa'"d, governor from 152 to 157 H; see BALOG 1976: p. 166-167; MILES 1948: p. 141. On 'Umar b. Ya$yà as mu$tasib see MORTON 1991: p. 40.

24 See MORTON 1991: p. 40. 25 On the average weight of the 32 &arr'bas pieces, that is 6.204 grams, see MILES 1964: p.


Pl. 9 - Obv. ‘Umar

i%nayn wa %al!%"n &arr'ba

!"# !"#$% ! !"#$%

!"#$% ‘Umar / two and thirty / &arr'ba Bibliography: from the same die LANE-POOLE 1891: p. 23, n. 32 (pl. II, n. 30 (sic)); CASANOVA 1893: p. 382, n. 55 (Deuxième catégorie – poids faibles, pl. II, n. 55); LAUNOIS 1957: p. 74, n. 363 (pl. X); FAHMI 1957: p. 172-173, n. 264 (pl. 31); MILES 1958: p. 61, n. 158 (pl. VIII); MORTON 1985: p. 106, n. 274-277; BALOG 1976: p. 166, n. 496 (pl. XXIX); ELDADA 2002: p. 131-132, n. 33; see also LANE-POOLE 1891: p. 23, n. 31; CASANOVA 1893: p. 382, n. 54, 56-57; MILES 1948: p. 141, n. 120-120(a); LAUNOIS 1957: p. 74, n. 364-367; FAHMI 1957: p. 172-173, n. 265-279; MILES 1958: p. 61, n. 155-157, 159; LAUNOIS 1960: p. 19, n. 17; MILES 1971: p. 70, n. 38.

The Caliph al-Mahd" (158-169/775-785)

with Mu$ammad b. Sulaym!n, Governor (159-161 AH/AD 775-777)26 and al-Muh!*ir, Prefect (159-161 AH/AD 775-777)27. 8. Inv. A2,5 – Transparent peridot green; Ø 2,8 cm; Wt. 4,24 gr; coin weight: 1 d"n!r Pl. 10 - Obv.

* Bismill!h amara

al-Mahd" Mu$ammad am"r al-mu’min"n amta‘a All!h bihi

mi%q!l d"n!r w!fin

* !"# ! !"#

!"#$%& !"#" !"#$ !"#$%$&'

!"#$ ! !" !"#$% !"#$

!"#

* / In the name of God ordered / al-Mahd" Mu$ammad / Commander of the Faithful / may All!h give him long enjoyment / a d"n!r weight / full weight. 85, Table IV, column 5.

26 See BALOG 1980: p. 82-83, n. 127. 27 See BALOG 1980: p. 80-81, n. 118.


Pl. 11 - Rev. (an‘at (or ,aba'ahu) [a]

l-Muh!*ir ° * °

!"#$ ! (or !"#$) !"#$%&

° * ° Stamping of a / l-Muh!*ir Rev. Margin

‘alà yaday al-am"r Mu$ammad b. Sulaym!n !"# !"# !"#$% !"#" !" !"#$%

At the hands of the am"r Mu$ammad b. Sulaym!n Bibliography: FAHMI 1957: p. 127-128; n. 165 (pl. 20); MILES 1958: p. 67, n. 172 (pl. IX); Balog 1976: p. 169, n. 507-508 (pl. XXIX); MORTON 1985: p. 110, n. 298 (pl. 14).

III. GLASSES BEARING NAMES NOT FOUND IN THE HISTORICAL SOURCES

Ab' al-#azan VIII/IX century (?)

9. A2,8 – Transparent green; Ø 2,9 cm; Wt. 7,06 gr; token. Pl. 12 - Obv.

Ab' al-#azan !"# !"#$% Ab' al-#azan (or Ab' al-#azn) Notes: the final part of the l!m is split. Bibliography: CASANOVA 1893: p. 407, n. 2 (Cinquième catégorie – divers [plate without number] n. 2); LAUNOIS 1960: p. 20, n. 20-22 (pl. I); LAUNOIS 1969: p. 88, n. 21; PETRIE 1974: p. 21, n. 272-280 (pl. XII-XIII, n. 272-280); NICOL ET AL. 1982: p. 199, n. 6022 (pl. XXV)28; MORTON 1985: p.132, n. 374-380; NOUJAIAM-LE GARREC 2004: p. 68, n. 40.

28 The exemplar is assigned by NICOL ET AL. 1982: p. 199, to the Mamluk period and the

legend is read: «Ab' al-Jird».


IV. ANONYMOUS WEIGHTS AND VESSEL STAMPS

Time of -!li$ b. A$mad first governorship (133 AH/AD 750-751)29 11. Inv. A2, 13 – Transparent green; Ø 1,17 cm ; Wt. 1,43 gr; coin weight: 1 d"n!r Pl. 13 - Obv.

[...] [d"]n!r w!fin (?)

) ( [...] /[d"]n!r full weight30. Notes: fragment. A five pointed star at the bottom. Bibliography: FAHMI 1957: p. 166, n. 242 (pl. 24). 12. Inv. A2, 19 – Transparent green; Ø 2 cm; Wt. 2,1 gr; coin weight: one-half d"n!r. Pl. 14 - Obv.

Bism All!h [rabb" All!h]

!"# !

!"# ] [!

In the name of God / my Lord / is God Notes: the legend as on A2, 17 should have the third line written in reverse as it is possible to see in better preserved exemplars. Fragment. Beaded border. Bibliography: LANE-POOLE 1891: p. 30, n. 47 (pl. III); LAUNOIS 1960: p. 20, n. 23 (pl. I); MORTON 1985: p. 156, n. 513-514 (pl. 23). 13. Inv. A2, 17 – Transparent green; Ø 1,9 cm; Wt. 2,15 gr; coin weight: a third-d"n!r Pl. 15 - Obv.

29 See MORTON 1985: p. 82-83. 30 The legend in an undamaged exemplar reads as follow: «bismill!h / amara !l Mu$am-

mad / mi%q!l / d"n!r w!fin» (In the name of God / Ordered the family of Mu$ammad / weight of / d"n!r full weight), see FAHMI 1957: p. 166, n. 242 (pl. 24).


Bismill!h rabb" All!h

>>>>>>>> ***

!"# ! !"# !

>>>>>>>> ***

In the of God / my Lord is God Notes: palm tree leaves to left or grain stem; underneath three 8-pointed stars. Bibliography: LANE-POOLE 1891: p. 32, n. 56; LAUNOIS 1969: p. 89, n. 26 (pl. I)31; MORTON 1985: p. 156, n. 516 (pl. 23). 13. Inv. A2, 18 – Transparent green; Ø 2,9 cm; Wt. 5,03 gr; coin weight: 1 fals of uncertain weight Pl. 16 - Obv.

mi%q!l fals

!"#$% !"#

Weight / of a fals Bibliography: LANE-POOLE 1891: p. Xx, n. 35D; FAHMI 1957: p. 190, n. 381-385 (p. 35); LAUNOIS 1960: p. 63, n. 27 (pl. VII); LAUNOIS 1969: p. 89, n. 23; MORTON 1985: p. 146, n. 45432. 14. Inv A2, 14 – Transparent green; Ø 3 cm; Wt. 2,82 gr; coin weight: fals of 24 &arr'bas Pl. 17 - Obv.

Bismill!h mi%q!l fals w !fin wazn ar [ba‘ wa ‘i.r] "n &arr'ba]

!"# ! !"#$% !"# ! !" !"# !" !" ! !"# ]

[ !" !"#$% In the name of God / weight of a fals f/ull-weight of the weight [of four and twenty &arr'bas]

31 Launois reads: «$asb" All!h» but gives also the reading: «rabb" All!h», see LAUNOIS 1969,

p. 90, footnote 1. 32 «454. with olive-green stain. 3.3 cm; 7.21g. Other pieces with the same legend and

similar loose script are known, but none of the illustrated specimens is from this die» MORTON 1985: p. 146, n. 454.


Notes: Beaded border. Fragment. Bibliography: FAHMI 1957: p. 185, n. 349-50 (pl. 34); LAUNOIS 1957: p. 70, n. 322-323 (pl. IX); LAUNOIS 1969: p. 88, n. 22. 15. Inv A2, 15 – Transparent green; Ø 1,7 cm; Wt. 1,4 gr; coin weight: part of 18 q"r!,s33 Pl. 18 - Obv.

Bismi[ll!h] mi%q!l .a,[r]34 %am!niya ‘a.ar

q"r!,

[ !"# !]! [ !"#$% !"]!

!"#$ !"# !"#$%

In the name of God / partial weight / of eighteen q"r!, Bibliography: LAUNOIS 1969: p. 89, n. 24 (pl. I). 16. Inv. A2, 9 – Translucent deep green, Ø 1,7 cm; Wt. 3,12 gr; vessel stamp: / of qis% kab"r or great qis%35 Pl. 19 - Obv.

[rub]‘ qis, kab"r

!! [! !"# ] !"#$

A quarter of a qis, / the great Notes: a spiral motif on the obverse and a protrusion on the reverse. As for the date, the late 8th - early 9th century was proposed.

33 The weight of this exemplar is almost the same as the one catalogued by LAUNOIS 1969,

who comments: «Celui-ci ne pèse que 1,39 et représente pourtant 18 q"r!, [...]. La pièce est usée, presque sans bourrelet, l'inscription effacée par endroits. Elle a donc subi une nette diminution de poids, mais, à raison de 18 qir!,, elle aurait dû peser, neuve, 3,42 grs. Beaucoup plus qu'un demi-dinar, et même qu'un demi dirhem. Ce qui laisse planer un doute sur la signification du mot &a%r»; LAUNOIS 1969: p. 89.

34 On the word &a%r as 'half' or 'part' and as denomination per se when occurs without the word fals, see MILES 1964: p. 84.

35 «L'inscription indique une mesure de capacité d'un quart de qis% kab"r ou grand qis%, qui semble avoir été introduit dans le système de mesure arabe en même temps que le grand ra%l, sous le gouvernement d'Ibrah"m (sic) b. -!li$, qui cumula les fonctions de gouverneur et de Directeur des Finances de 165-167/781 à 784. Il reprit ses fonctions pour une année en 176/792» , NOUJAIAM-LE GARREC 2004: p. 76, n. 52.


Bibliography: CASANOVA 1893: p. 363, n. 24-2636; NOUJAIAM-LE GARREC 2004: p. 76, n. 52. 17. Inv A2, 12 – Transparent light green; Ø 2,2 cm; Wt. 2,37 gr; disk Pl. 20 - Obv.

Bismill!h ,!bi‘ a- l-s'q

!"# ! !"#$ !

!"#$ In the name of God / stamp of / the market Bibliography: LAUNOIS 1969: p. 90, n. 28 (pl. I) and the reading suggested by MORTON 1991: p. 33, footnote 8. 18. Inv. A2, 16 – Transparent green; Ø 3 cm; Wt. 7,76 gr; disk weight (?)37. Pl. 21 - Obv.

lill!h ! To God Bibliography: LAUNOIS 1969: p. 90; n. 29 (pl. I).

V. PIECES WITH OBSCURE LEGEND

19. Inv. A2, 10 – Transparent green; Ø 1,8 cm; Wt. 1,38 gr; disk: possibly a one-third d"n!r weight Pl. 22 – Obv. Three lines of crude script, imitating simple, probably early Kufic. Bibliography: MILES 1963: p. 53, n. 46 (pl. XI); LAUNOIS 1969: p. 90, n. 27 (pl. I); MORTON 1985: p. 159, n. 534 (pl. 24)38.

36 The piece was already cited in CASANOVA 1891: p. 94, but not details were given. 37 The weight corresponds to one-fourth wuqiyya; see NICOL ET AL. 1982: p. 179. 38 «The weights of the other specimens listed above are 1.39g and 1.37g respectively. All

three therefore are around the third-d"n!r mark. MILES 1969: II, 45, which is said to have the 'same "legend" ', and weighs 2.12g may perhaps be a half-d"n!r weight from the same die»; MORTON 1985: p. 159.


UMAYYAD AND ‘ABBASID GLASS COIN WEIGHTS SUMMARY TABLE39

Date Caliph Finance Director

D!n"r40 or D!n"r Fraction41 Fals42

66-86/705-725 ‘Abd al-Malik

/ half 2,18gr

116-124/734-742 / Al-Q!sim b. ‘Ubaydall!h

1 4,24gr 30 !arr!ba

5,83gr

136-158/754-776 al-Man!!r ‘Abd al-Malik b. Yaz!d

1 4,24gr

144-157/769-774 / Salama 30 !arr!ba

5,81gr

152-157/769-774 / Mu!ammad b. Sa‘!d b. ‘Uqba

one-third 1,4gr

c.a 152-157/769-774 / ‘Umar b. Ya!yà 32 !arr!ba

6,22gr

158-169/775-785 Al-Mahd! Mu!ammad b. Sulaym!n

1 4,24gr

obscure legend one-third (?)

1,38gr

39 Fragments are not included in the table. Dirhams are not included in the scheme

because any weight of such category is listed among the specimens catalogued. 40 The legal weight of the reformed d"n!r of ‘Abd al-Malik has been estimated at 4.25

grams, see MILES 1965: p. 297b. It has already pointed out that early glass d"n!r weights show remarkable uniformity – see MILES 1948: p. 4-5 – and the specimens in this collection don't make exception.

41 The denomination of fraction of the d"n!r are the one-half, quite rare, and the one-third, more common, weighing respectively, 2.125 grams and 1.42 grams, see MILES 1948: p. 5-6.

42 The glass fals weights issued in Egypt in denominations of from nine to thirty-six &arr'bas could be, has been noted, an exception to the fact that Arabs issued only one standard copper or bronze coin – regardless of size or weight – without any denominational differentiations; see UDOVITCH 1965: p. 768. According to figures calculated by Miles a fals of thirty &arr'bas weigh 5.841 grams, and a fals of 32 &arr'bas weigh 6.188 grams, see MILES 1948: pp. 9-12, in particular the table on page 10. On the weights accuracy see also MILES 1964.


BIBLIOGRAPHY

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PICTURES GLASS STAMPS

Pl. 1 – A2, 11 Pl. 2 – A2, 1 Pl. 3 – A2, 2

Pl. 4 – A2, 4 obv Pl. 5 – A2, 4 rev Pl. 6 – A2, 7

Pl. 7 – A2, 3 obv Pl. 8 – A2, 3 rev Pl. 9 – A2, 6


Pl. 10 – A2, 5 obv Pl 11 – A2, 5 rev Pl. 12 – A2, 8

Pl. 13 – A2, 13 Pl 14 – A2, 19 Pl. 15 – A2, 17

Pl. 16 – A2, 18 Pl. 17 – A2, 14 Pl. 18 – A2, 15


Pl. 19 – A2, 9 Pl. 20 – A2, 12 Pl. 21, A2, 16

Pl. 22 – A2, 10

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