Another Nabataean Lead Tessera

Here’s another addition to my set of crude Nabataean obscurities: a lead tessera of the debatable-bust/Nike type, 14mm, 2.3 g. The seller claims it’s the laureate head of Aretas, but which Aretas?



Oliver Hoover classifies these tesserae in “A Reassessment of Nabataean Lead Coinage in Light of New Discoveries”, wherein he parses the Bust/Nike types into six categories. The only sub-type that includes a laureate, head is Group F, but Hoover doesn’t assign the bust to a particular ruler – he simply calls it uncertain. The problem with Group F is that the obverse design includes a dotted border. I don’t see any sort of border on my piece, but it may just be faded.

It’s tempting to date all of these Bust/Nike types to the time of Aretas II (103 BC - 96 BC), since Nike disappears altogether in later Nabataean issues. With the decline of the Seleucid Empire and the growth of Nabataean civilization, Hellenistic influence waned, not only in the coinage but in other aspects of the culture. However, the typology doesn’t really supply enough evidence for dating. Some of the pieces have been discovered in hoards of coins minted by Aretas IV (9 BC – AD 40). Were they minted during his reign? Or were they merely older coins circulating alongside the newer? The earlier bronze issues of Aretas II are occasionally found in groups of coins minted by Aretas IV, so it’s possible that the Bust/Nike tesserae were simply older coins still in circulation. But it’s equally possible that they were minted during the time of Aretas IV, and the depiction of Nike was a throwback to an earlier style, or that the old portrait of Nike now symbolized some Nabataean deity.

My other example is of a different type, bearded head (possibly Apollo), with bull charging left.

 

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Know nothing of them but its a cool addition.

 

I am still missing this culture from my collection. I have most of the neigbors but I am still missing a nice Nabatean silver something or other.


I do like these crude coins. This has really become your specialty, JA? Neato!

 

A "nice" Nabataean silver is going to set you back at least five Franklins. And it ain't gonna be that nice - just fair warning. Nothing Nabataean can really be called eye-candy.

I have a keen interest in the coinage of ancient Arabia in general - it's not confined to the Nabataeans.

 

Another nice lead piece, John. You're getting there!

I found this hemidrachm to be quite fetching: http://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=231206

 

That is indeed fetching. If it were for sale I might be debating whether I could skip a mortgage payment. The bank wouldn't miss one little payment, would they?

 

You know what, I get a smile on my face every time I read one of your Nabatean posts JA. I love the passion, especially for a civilization I like, but have never had enough time to really get into.

Cool for you man, cool for you. Your pursuit is true numismatics.

 

neato JA, i don't have a nabataean yet either.

question: is that a tile? aren't tessera tiles, like in a individual piece that make up a picture?

 

?

Are you thinking a mosaic tile?

A tessera is a small metal object used for various functions. Its not technically a coin, but similar.

 

Yes, tesserae are also tiles. And tokens. And passwords. And a number of other things.

EDIT: rather, the word tesserae also carries those meanings

 

oh ok, thank you.

so from JA's post mentioning circulation, those were used as coins i assume.

 

Well now you've opened Pandora's box. Hopefully Ardatirion will notice that I was very careful not to call them tokens.

There is no short answer to your question, chrsmat. They may have been used in a variety of ways, including ordinary commerce.

 

I defer to Bill's greater knowledge of these. I suppose I have only ever paid attention, if but glancing, to the semi numismatic tesserae, and never thought of any other types.

 

Very interesting ...

 

I've added a third tessera to this set today. This one is Hoover Group B. Obv.: Head of Nabataean ruler (Obodas III?) r., with hair in cascading rows of curls; dotted border. Rev.: Winged Nike standing left.



The image of Nike is all but worn away, but the bust is fairly decent for a two thousand year-old lead coin. It's almost as good as any bust in Hoover's plates, for example...



I won't go into excruciating detail, but this type of "archaic" bust can be linked to portraits of Obodas III (30 - 9 BC). The last time we see this type of bust in the bronze coins is in 4 BC, under the early reign of Aretas IV. So it's tempting to date this tessera to somewhere between 30 BC and 4 BC, but it hasn't been established that the lead pieces are related to the bronze typology at all, so any attempt at narrow dating is suspect.

 

sweet => I'm lovin' your new coin, JA!!

=> plus, the best part is => we're never gonna bid on the same coins!!



... yah sadly, you are way too deep into the "coin history/meaning", yet I am freely admiting that I am certainly more attracted to the coin's "cool-ness factor" (aesthetic beauty)

=> sure, I may be Shallow Hal ... but I'm okay with that!! (it's how I roll!!)



Hey, I hope that you and yours are having a great long weekend!! (cheers, brother)

 

Thanks Jerry. There's nothing shallow about collecting ancient coins for eye-appeal. I can think of a thousand truly shallow pursuits. It's all in the eye of the beholder.

I started out collecting moderns but lost interest rather quickly - there was no mystery, nothing for me to puzzle over; everything was readily available for the right price. I've been drawn to puzzles since I was a kid - I'm the guy that buys crossword puzzle books, mathematical puzzles, chess problems, etc. I love helping my kid with algebra homework (especially the thorny word problems) but he's in honors algebra and most of the time doesn't need my help. I've designed my own video games as a hobby - only because I wanted to fathom the complexities of the code and CG software.

Ancient coins drew me in precisely because there is so much to figure out. So little is known in so many areas, especially with obscure cultures like the Nabataeans. For me, the hobby consists of solving puzzles, and the eye appeal of the coins is almost non sequitur. That being said, I still look for the nicest coins I can afford.

But with the lead tesserae, one takes what one can get.

 

"I like Turtles"




Ummm ... hopefully, you've seen chrsmat71's attachment?

Either way, my brotha => yah, I think that brain teasers are awesome (I love doing the Sunday crossword puzzle, and I love quizzin' away on a personal puzzle with my girl!!)

=> but as far as ancients/coins are concerned => within reason, I am merly super-cool with my coins if they look awesome!!! (again, it is what I get out of them, right?) ... there is no right or wrong reason/answer when collecting something ...

yah, I'm stevex6 => and I love smooth, great looking coins!!

=> Ummm, hopefully, there'll be a "welcome stevex6 ..."



I love you guys ... stay away from my coins!!!

 

Oh, holy oops brother => I certainly didn't mean that I didn't/don't like "your" coins!!

=> quite the opposite => I love knowing/seeing what other dudes collect!! (that's actually my favourite!!)

=> JA, Jango, A-Noob => all of you dudes are "out there" with your coins ... yet I always give 'er the ol "like" because it is totally true!! (I like seeing you dudes collecting and showing me what you collect!! ... it's awesome, brothers!!)

=> I'm totally appreciative that you let me see what makes you dudes "tick"!!

 

Yeah, no worries friend, I knew what you meant.