My most recent aquisition

Here's a pic of my most recent purchase, can't wait for it to arrive!

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Nice coin. Congratulations.
There was recently an interesting discussion about the coins of Carthage:
https://www.cointalk.com/threads/couple-of-auctions-couple-of-carthage-coins.301627/

 

Have you attributed your new coin? It's a nice one.

 

I eyed that myself, nice buy, Aunduril.

 

VERY NICE!!!!

 

Very nice Carthage coin @Aunduril !

I have one very similar, but yours has a necklace and earrings where mine has a plain neck on Tanit. Your reverse looks to have a different Punic Letter.

Would you have the weight and diameter? Or the attribution that the Seller gave?


Carthage 300-264 BCE
AE 19
Sardinia
19mm 5.62g
Tanit wreathed
Horse hd r ayin
SNG COP 151 JP Righetti collection

 

Glad I pulled the trigger then . I was contemplating it last night, and was thinking about sleeping on it and seeing how I felt in the morning. But I was concerned that it may not have been there in the morning so I went for it.

 

This was the listing for it from Aegean Numismatics:

Zeugitania, Carthage 300-264 BC, AE19
4.26g
Wreathed head of Tanit left wearing a pendant earring and necklace
Horse head rightS
NG Cop 144
Sardinian mint

 

Thanks for the link, I look forward to reading it!

 

Can anyone explain the ubiquitous horn in Tanit's hair? I presume it is a symbol of divinity, as it's often used on coin portraits (from Ptolemy's first Alexander "portrait" tets to Elagabalus' Antoniniani). But where does this divinity symbol originate and how is it derived?

 

Nice!

 

I'm away from home right now and will check notes later but I don't think that is a horn. It is a blade-like leaf of some grain, if I recall correctly.

 

Nice new pic-up Aunduril.

~Doug

 

Thanks!!!

 

Tanit wears wheat sheaves bound in Her hair as a wreath with a crescent moon behind. I agree that this "moon" looks like a horn. It is not symmetric like a moon.

Horns seem to make the deity more like pre-historic animal gods and moon gods. A good place to start is https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horned_deity#Cult_of_Ammon . There is no good place as end this topic because no one really knows but many scholars have theories.

 

Thanks. I think this motif is often shown as moon/crescent, which is consistent with Tanit's drawn symbol of woman with outstretched arms with crescent above. This coin, and some other's I've seen do appear more horn-like, perhaps a derivation from the crescent over time.

 

After browsing a variety of Tanit portrayals I believe the crescent is a leaf from the wheat stalk, not a moon or a horn. Yes it is shaped like a crescent moon but that's just the curve of the blade. On well-struck and well-preserved coins you can see the central rib of the leaf.

While I've not seen any scholarly writings about this, I do have one insight which may give me an extra qualification for commenting: I've woven head wreaths from flowers and grass.

(Yeah, it was for a Renaissance Fair. I feel you judging me. It was long ago )




If making a head wreath out of these, you'd first strip all or most of the leaves. The remaining stems are then braided together and tied behind the head. I believe her wreath retains the "flag leaf" (the curved leaf-like structure closest to the seed head).


EL stater from CNG's archives:

 

I can just see you @TIF

 

Thanks guys for all this info, very interesting!

 

Thank you @TIF . It's certainly clear on that EL coin.