. The Artuqid Rulers of Mardin Najm al-Din Alpi ibn Timurtash. AE Dirham AH 547–572 (AD 1152–1176)
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Studied Egyptology and formerly appraised archaeological objects for auction. Has over ten years experience in ancient coins.
Estimate € 180 - € 200
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An ungraded Artuqid Æ dirham of Najm al-Din Alpi ibn Timurtash, dated AH 547–572 (AD 1152–1176), struck in the name of Abbasid Caliph al-Mustanjid billah and featuring two male heads on the obverse and a female head on the reverse.
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Description from the seller
Important: Due to customs regulations, we ship exclusively within the European Union. Please ensure you have a valid EU delivery address before bidding.
Description:
Islamic Anatolia. Artuqids of Mardin. Najm al-Din Alpi (AH 547–572 / AD 1152–1176). AE Dirham. Struck in the name of the Abbasid Caliph al-Mustanjid billah.
Obverse: Two diademed and draped male heads facing slightly away from one another (representing Gemini / Mercury). In margins: لا اله الا الله (There is no God but Allah) above, محمد رسول الله (Muhammad is the messenger of Allah) below, ﺍﻟﻤﺴﺘﻨﺠﺪ ﺑﺎﻟﻠﻪ (al-Mustanjid billah) to the right upwards, and ﺍﻣﻴﺮﺍﻟﻤﺆﻣﻨﻴﻦ (Commander of the Faithful) to the left downwards.
Reverse: Facing female head wearing a necklace (representing Virgo). In margins: ﻧﺠﻢ ﺍﻟﺪﻳﻦ (Star of the Faith) above, ﺍﻟﭙﻰ ﺑﻦ ﺍﻳﻞﻏﺎﺫﯼ (Alpi ibn Il-Ghazi) below, ﺑﻦ ﺍﺭﺗﻖ (ibn Artuq) to the right upwards, and ﻣﻠﻚ ﺩﻳﺎﺭ ﺑﻜﺮ (Ruler of Diyarbakir) to the left downwards.
Diameter: 32 mm
Weight: 13,95 gr
Condition: See photos for condition, zoom in if needed.
Reference: Mitchiner WI 1029/1030
Historical Context:
The Artuqids were a Turkmen dynasty that ruled parts of Northern Mesopotamia and Anatolia during the 12th and 13th centuries. Under Najm al-Din Alpi, the principality of Mardin experienced a cultural and economic boom. Because the region had a heavily integrated Christian and Muslim populace, and was highly dependent on trade with the West, the Artuqids developed a unique coinage system: they minted large bronze dirhams featuring bold, complex figural imagery, openly breaking away from traditional Islamic iconoclasm.
The designs on this impressive, heavy dirham are heavily influenced by classical antiquity. The two male heads on the obverse are closely modeled after Hellenistic and Roman coins, particularly those of the Roman Republic or dual-emperor issues, while referencing the contemporary Abbasid Caliph al-Mustanjid in the Arabic text. The reverse features a facing female head, frequently interpreted by scholars as a representation of a celestial body (like Venus) or copied from Byzantine depictions of the Virgin Mary or classical nymphs. This coin stands as a fascinating cross-cultural artifact, blending ancient Greco-Roman and Byzantine visual art with medieval Islamic political titles.
Important: Due to customs regulations, we ship exclusively within the European Union. Please ensure you have a valid EU delivery address before bidding.
Description:
Islamic Anatolia. Artuqids of Mardin. Najm al-Din Alpi (AH 547–572 / AD 1152–1176). AE Dirham. Struck in the name of the Abbasid Caliph al-Mustanjid billah.
Obverse: Two diademed and draped male heads facing slightly away from one another (representing Gemini / Mercury). In margins: لا اله الا الله (There is no God but Allah) above, محمد رسول الله (Muhammad is the messenger of Allah) below, ﺍﻟﻤﺴﺘﻨﺠﺪ ﺑﺎﻟﻠﻪ (al-Mustanjid billah) to the right upwards, and ﺍﻣﻴﺮﺍﻟﻤﺆﻣﻨﻴﻦ (Commander of the Faithful) to the left downwards.
Reverse: Facing female head wearing a necklace (representing Virgo). In margins: ﻧﺠﻢ ﺍﻟﺪﻳﻦ (Star of the Faith) above, ﺍﻟﭙﻰ ﺑﻦ ﺍﻳﻞﻏﺎﺫﯼ (Alpi ibn Il-Ghazi) below, ﺑﻦ ﺍﺭﺗﻖ (ibn Artuq) to the right upwards, and ﻣﻠﻚ ﺩﻳﺎﺭ ﺑﻜﺮ (Ruler of Diyarbakir) to the left downwards.
Diameter: 32 mm
Weight: 13,95 gr
Condition: See photos for condition, zoom in if needed.
Reference: Mitchiner WI 1029/1030
Historical Context:
The Artuqids were a Turkmen dynasty that ruled parts of Northern Mesopotamia and Anatolia during the 12th and 13th centuries. Under Najm al-Din Alpi, the principality of Mardin experienced a cultural and economic boom. Because the region had a heavily integrated Christian and Muslim populace, and was highly dependent on trade with the West, the Artuqids developed a unique coinage system: they minted large bronze dirhams featuring bold, complex figural imagery, openly breaking away from traditional Islamic iconoclasm.
The designs on this impressive, heavy dirham are heavily influenced by classical antiquity. The two male heads on the obverse are closely modeled after Hellenistic and Roman coins, particularly those of the Roman Republic or dual-emperor issues, while referencing the contemporary Abbasid Caliph al-Mustanjid in the Arabic text. The reverse features a facing female head, frequently interpreted by scholars as a representation of a celestial body (like Venus) or copied from Byzantine depictions of the Virgin Mary or classical nymphs. This coin stands as a fascinating cross-cultural artifact, blending ancient Greco-Roman and Byzantine visual art with medieval Islamic political titles.
Details
Era
Before 1400
Weight
13.95 g
Culture/region
The Artuqid Rulers of Mardin
Year/period and variation
AH 547–572 (AD 1152–1176)
Ruler
Najm al-Din Alpi ibn Timurtash
Denomination
AE Dirham
Metal
Æ
Condition
Ungraded
