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Author Topic: Arabic Kufic? Inscription on 1/6 Dirham Weight from Caesarea Maritima  (Read 520 times)

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Offline v-drome

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Edit: Thanks to Ginolerhino for the solution to this one, see below.

Hi all.  I am looking for help translating this inscription and dating.  Could it be جيد Jayyid (good)?  A few weights published by L. Holland may have a similar word but were not translated at the time.  I am finally starting to work again on a large number of small weights in our collection.  I have a link to the gallery below.  As always, many thanks for any ideas or corrections.  Jimi Berlin(V-drome).

BCC BW25
Islamic Bronze Weight
Caesarea Maritima  1/6 Dirhem
Uncertain Date
Obv: Arabic Kufic inscription:
Rev: Blank. Flat, nearly rectangular
brick-shaped slab, cut from a sheet
of metal and stamped in relief. 
AE 7.5 x 5.5 x 1.75mm.  Wt: 0.48gm.
cf. Holland, W.W.O.C.M., ch.8.  #143
and cf. Holland, "ANSMN 31 (1986)"
#399, 431, 471?
Surface find Caesarea Maritima, 1973

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=5252

Offline v-drome

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Re: Arabic Kufic? Inscription on 1/6 Dirham Weight from Caesarea Maritima
« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2023, 02:08:15 am »
Hi, all.  Here is another very tiny 1/6 Dirham weight with an incomplete inscription in two lines, in a circular punch.  It is beautifully preserved with a black patina (and difficult to photograph).  I am adding a mirror image in case it has been stamped in reverse.  I have been studying Richard Plant's book on Arabic Coins, but I am still at a loss beyond the very basics.  Is it correct to call these Kufic?  I know there is not much to go on, but any ideas or corrections as to meaning and date would be appreciated.  Holland's book and article illustrate a number of inscribed weights, mostly small sizes, but I could not match any of them to this particular one.  Thanks, again, Jimi Berlin (V-drome).

BCC BW26
Islamic Bronze Weight
Caesarea Maritima  1/6 Dirhem
Uncertain Date
Obv: Incomplete Arabic inscription in two lines, stamped in
relief in a circular border within an incuse circular punch-mark. 
Rev: Blank.  Flat, rhombic prism cut from a thin sheet of metal.
No exact parallels to this inscription were identified in Holland,
"Weights and Weight-Like Objects from Caesarea Maritima", ch.8,
or in Holland, "Islamic Bronze Weights from Caesarea Maritima, ANSMN 31 (1986)".
AE 7.0 x 5.0 x 1.5mm.  Wt: 0.47gm.
Surface find, Caesarea Maritima, 1977

Edit:  The reversed photo could (possibly???) show the start of the inscription معير واف ,
(maeir waf) which translates as "a complete standard". cf. BCC BW7 and
Holland, ANSMN 31 (1986) #448
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=103167

Offline Ginolerhino

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Re: Arabic Kufic? Inscription on 1/6 Dirham Weight from Caesarea Maritima
« Reply #2 on: January 27, 2023, 09:40:11 am »
On your 1st weight I think I read عبدالله in 2 lines ( 'abd allah).   

Offline v-drome

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Re: Arabic Kufic? Inscription on 1/6 Dirham Weight from Caesarea Maritima
« Reply #3 on: January 27, 2023, 01:17:37 pm »
Wow, Ginolerhino!  Thank you so much for this.  Now when I google "عبدالله Arabic Weight" I find two sites at numismatics.org that list glass weights and stamps bearing this inscription, both as a name and as an epithet for the Caliphs.  Just perfect!

Best regards, Jimi

 

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