Islamic Weight with Inscription

[v-drome]

Hi.  Here is a small bronze weight with an inscription on two sides.  It weighs 1.45 grams which I have found corresponds to 1/2 Dirhem.  I read an interesting article by Lionel Holland, "Islamic Bronze Weights from Caesarea Maritima", ANSMN 31, (1986), but I did not see this exact inscription.  Any help with translation or date would be appreciated.  Thanks, V-drome.

Islamic Weight BCC BW6
Bronze
1/2 Dirhem
Inscription and stamp
1.45gm.
7.0x6.75x3.25mm
Axis:90?
There are two small dots above the first inscription.
(click on photo for larger image)

[bakkar]

weights in Holland's work are mainly Fatimid but yours look Abbasid weight.
There is an Arabic word on obverse but unfortunately incomplete as the
last part of the word is seen only.

H.Bakkar

[v-drome]

Hi, Mr. Bakkar.  I have quite a number of these, all from Caesarea, that I will be posting soon.  Let me know if you see anything that looks readable.  Here is a photo from Holland's article of an inscription which occurs on many of his specimens.  He reads this as 'Imran and I was wondering if you agree with that.  The article does not provide a translation of the word or name, and I thought a final N would be of different form.  Thank you, again, for your help.  Regards, Jimi.

[bakkar]

Yes "Imran" is the only and correct reading of the word.
It is an Arabic name of a person.

Bakkar

[v-drome]

Thank you, Bakkar.  It is interesting that the name occurs on so many weights and on small modules of both systems, the Dirhem and the Dinar.  I will try to post the clearest ones in the near future, and if anyone would like higher resolution photos for research use just let me know.  Best Regards, Jimi

[bakkar]

Do you have large size weights with inscription?

[v-drome]

Hi. The largest I have is a 2 Dirhem weight inscribed Imran.  Also a 1 Dirhem cube (2.93gm.) and a 1/3 Dinar discoid (1.38gm.) with the same inscription, but nothing larger.  There are a few small ones with different letters which I will post if I can get decent photos, and some large ones with bird's eye designs.  Would the "IMRAN" weights be considered Umayyad, or are they later?  Thanks, Jimi

Islamic Weight  BCC BW11
Brick shaped
Bronze  2 Dirhem
Obv: Arabic inscription: ‘IMRAN
عمران
Rev: Blank
13.0 x 9.0 x 6.0mm.
5.83gm.