Here are three Umayyad bronze coins (this is the reprise) dating from the early 8th century, all with an animal on the obverse. The middle is from Tiberias, I believe, the other two are from Hims. They measure about 16 mm and weigh between 1,66 and 3 gr. I was told, from left to right, a gerbil, a leopard and an elephant, but you might have other suggestions. Were these coins so diverse to cater to 8th century coin collectors, or did those animals have a special meaning? I hope some of you may be able to tell me more.
Early Greek coinage used the famous owl as a symbol of wisdom. The Greek Seleukid kings also introduced elephants, whereas the Persians preferred perhaps the lion. The Dragon was popular in the ancient and some modern Chinese coins. The gerbil is a rodent animal which is mainly found in sandy areas of Asia and Africa. Those were the areas of the early Arab conquest. The gerbil has long legs for leaping. Could it be a symbol of strength or speed? Maybe we need to search more about the specifications of the gerbil in order to guess or find out.
Oh my God, Pellimore =>those OP-coins are fricken awesome!! ... a "gerbil" ... really? (if so, then that coin is now definitely on my wish-list) => "Alert, Danger-Will-Robinson => find gerbil-coin!!"
The one on the left is the elephant type also. Sometimes the elephant is not so well fed! Rather than "gerbil", the type suggested was probably "jerboa". Though also from Hims, the jerboa coins not only look a little different but name the governor Marwan b. Bashir. Here is an example:
That elephant on my left coin looks more like a sad little lamb (or an eeyore) to me. But your jerboa is very persuasive.
It does look a bit like a lamb but if you do a search of images in the literature and online, you'll see that the Hims elephants range from healthy and easily recognizable to rather stylized and somewhat sickly. The elephant is believed to have been copied from an earlier Seleucid copper issue.
@ dq.. What do I read on the reverse of the Jerboa coin? please. Here's a possibly similar coin with Jerboa head Left.
The legend at center is usually read as b'amr ("ordered by") or amara bihi ("he ordered it") / Marwan bin / Bashir (Bishr?). The margin is rarely legible but based on Walker seems to be Muhammad rassul Allah arsalahu bi'l-huda... (from Qur'an 9:33: "Muhammad is the apostle of Allah who sent him with guidance..."). The jerboa type is found with jerboa facing either left or right.
