KUFIC DIRHEM: COIN OF ABBASID EMPIRE
Kufic dirhem, 803: Abbasid Caliphate
Abbasid Caliphate or Abbasid Empire — feudal theocratic state that existed from 750 to 945 and from 1194 to 1258, with the ruling Abbasid dynasty (a dynasty descended from prophet Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib). It included the territories of modern Arab countries of Asia, part of Central Asia, Egypt, Iran, North Africa and Pakistan. The Abbasid Empire was one of the largest empires in human history and had a territory of more than 11.000.000 m².
Ruler: Harun al-Rashid (763-809) — 5th Caliph of the Abbasid Caliphate.
AH 187 (AH: Latin "Anno Hegirae" — "the year of the Hijra"; Islamic calendar) = 803 (Gregorian calendar).
On the obverse and reverse of the coin approximately the following Arabic texts are indicated by Kufic script:
"In the Name of God /Allah/ this dirhem was struck in Madinat al-Salam in the year 187. — There is no deity except God alone. He has no equal. — Muhammad is the messenger of God. He was sent with guidance and the true religion to reveal it to all religions even if the polytheists abhor it".
Mint of Madinat al-Salam (or "City of Peace"; now — Baghdad, Iraq).
Portion of the "One Thousand and One Nights" (collection of Middle Eastern folktales compiled in the Arabic language during the Islamic Golden Age) are set in Harun's court and some of its stories involve Harun himself.
- Silver: 24 mm - 2.92 g
- Reference price: 25$
COIN KUFIC DIRHEM — WHERE & WHEN (coins catalog: by names & emitents)
- ISLAMIC STATES — Umayyad Caliphate, Abbasid Caliphate, Greater Iran, Al-Andalus and Ceuta, Idrisid dynasty in North Africa... (7th-11th centuries): kufic dirhem = 60 fals
KUFIC DIRHEM as coin name.
Kufic dirhem — ancient Arab silver coin of high purity and quality for its time, which for several centuries became the most widespread in the lands of the Arab world, as well as even Eastern Europe. A type of dirhem.
The first mass kufic dirhems appeared at the end of the 7th century in the Umayyad Caliphate. The latter date back to the 11th century. That is, the coin was issued for more than 300 years, but with some interruptions (due to the depletion of already known silver deposits in the Middle East and the delay in the discovery of new ones).
The weight varied widely: from less than 3 to more than 10 g.
Due to the almost benchmark purity of silver (up to 98% and, as a result, increased wear resistance), the perfect manufacturing technique at that time and the considerable duration of minting, kufic dirhem became the main coin for several centuries both "at home" and far beyond the emission centers. It spread massively throughout Europe, in particular — the lands of modern Ukraine (Kyivan Rus'), neighboring territories, even Scandinavia...
Even nowadays, kufic dirhems are found in relatively large numbers by metal detector hunters in the lands of Eastern Europe. It is not a rare find here, in Ukraine, which testifies to the close trade and economic ties between Europe and the Middle East. The every annual mintage of the coin was incredible for that time: there were enough mentioned dirhems to ensure the monetary circulation of even distant European lands.
Why is this type of dirhem known as "kufic dirhem"? — Everything is very simple. The legend on these coins (must be a quote from the Quran, the date and city of minting, the name of the ruler) was executed in Kufic script (one of the oldest styles of Arabic writing; nowadays it is practically not used).
In fact, the name "Kufic dirhem" is conventional and not too widespread in international numismatics, but widely used among collectors of Ukraine and russia (the land of the historical Kyivan Rus', where these coins were in circulation as the main currency for a long time).
The following spelling of the name of this coin is most often found: dirham. However, I disagree and think it is more appropriate to use the term dirhem in this historical context, while for modern coins (Morocco, Iraq, Libya...) — dirham.
