SQUARE DIRHEM: COIN OF ALMOHADS
Square dirhem, 13th century: Almohad Caliphate
Almohad Caliphate (Arabic "خِلَافَةُ ٱلْمُوَحِّدِينَ or دَوْلَةُ ٱلْمُوَحِّدِينَ", romanized "al-Muwaḥḥidūn", literally "those who profess the unity of God") — North African Berber Muslim empire founded in present day Morocco. Years of existence: 1121-1269. At its height, it controlled much of the Iberian Peninsula (Al-Andalus) and North Africa (the Maghreb).
The particular dirhem shown here is usually dated in numismatics to the period from 1130 to 1269. Unfortunately, it is impossible to determine the exact date and Mint of this specimen. Because of this, the coin is often called the "Anonymous Dirhem".
The plot of such coins involves only textual legends.
لا إله إلا الله: There is no God but Allah.
الأمر كله لله: All is up to Allah.
لا قوة إلا بالله: There is no power except by Allah.
الله ربنا: Allah — our Lord.
محمد رسولنا: Mohammed — our Messenger.
المهدي امامنا: Mahdi — before us.
- Silver: 15 mm - 1.56 g
- Reference price: 25$
COIN SQUARE DIRHEM — WHERE & WHEN (coins catalog: by names & emitents)
- ISLAMIC STATES (North Africa and Iberian Peninsula) — Almohad Caliphate, Spain (Al-Andalus and Ceuta), Morocco (Hafsid, Marinid, Wattasid dynasties...)... (11th-16th centuries): square dirhem
SQUARE DIRHEM as coin name.
Square dirhem (often "dirhAm")... Obviously, this is not a denomination. This coin name is quite often found in online sources, is familiar to many numismatists and clearly indicates a whole unique group of historical coins of the same type.
This is a conventional name used in relation to the square-shaped silver coins of the Islamic States on Mediterranean coasts of North Africa and the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula (Europe).
In fact, most often square dirhems in their shape are far from perfect square silver coins that were issued approximately during the 11th-16th centuries.
Among the issuers, the Almohad Caliphate, Marinid Sultanate, Emirate of Granada, City of Ceuta are most often mentioned... That is, the square dirhem coin is typical of medieval Islamic kingdoms centered in what is now the northwestern part of the Maghreb and southern Spain.
The name "Square dirhem" emphasizes the atypical shape of the coin (square) and its relation to the medieval Arab world (dirhem).
It is worth noting that the following spelling of the name of the coin is most often found: square dirham. However, I disagree: I think it is more appropriate to use the term dirhem in this historical context, while for modern coins (Morocco, Iraq, Libya...) — dirham.
