Sogdia - Bukhara

So another Sogdian purchase, (anyone bored yet?). This one is from Bukhara. The ruler is named Vardanzi. A seller had two of these for sale, (though I had never seen one for sale before), and this one was in worst condition. I chose it because the cross on the reverse was in better shape than the other. I collect crosses and other symbols of the ancient Eastern Church, and this is the only one I have ever seen where an entire side of the coin was devoted to a cross. So, terrifically interesting to me, others? probably not as much. The obverse is an animal, (large cat), walking to left.

 

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i think it's pretty darn interesting...i don't remembering seeing one like it. so is this a christian symbol med?

 

Yes, its a Christian cross. The same seller has a better one for sale, ($400), that shows a different cross, "fatter". Without knowing the specifics, one cannot know for sure it had a Christian intent, but seeing Bukhara was strongly Eastern Christian by this time I do not think its too much of a stretch. Other coins of Sogdia I own only have smaller references to Christianity, a small cross fit into the design here and there, many times only on a specific coin, other examples have swastikas or other marks instead. They kind of remind me of the rare Chi Ro marked wolf and twins Constantine coin. Most of the coins were NOT made with the Christian mark, but a few dies were.

Honestly, this coin wouldn't have been that interesting to me other than its Sogdian and I do not own it, if it weren't for the cross and its association with an ancient branch of the church. So, even though maybe 50-100 of these coins exist, maybe only 20 of us want one.

 

There was certainly a Nestorian Christian presence at Bukhara in pre-Islamic times, including a bishop. It's hard to tell if this is a Nestorian cross or a more generic form. Intriguing either way!

 

Yes, on some of these coins the cross is more flowery like the one on that link. I actually have a cross amulet found beneath a famous monastery in Ustrushana that looks "fatter" like the ones in that link as well. Still, it fits in well with my "Sogdian Cross" collection, in fact is a star in that collection.

 

A neat buy, never seen the type before myself.

 

nice large cat, walking

 

As far as I know, this coin is from an old town Vardanzi, not far east from Bukhara, and it's a Nestorian cross. In those days (i.e., 550-700 AD), many different beliefs existed next to each other, and in Central Asia: east of Persia, Zoroastranism was on the wane, Islam was on the winning hand, but there were Christian sects (like Nestorianism) and probably also some Buddhist Huns thriving.

 

Cool @medoraman ! I have always been a bit interested in that area of the World...

I only have a couple Sogdian coins, but they are not from the towns, time period, or have a Cross...


Sogdiana silk road 700-800 CE AE Cash Tamga Samitan RARE
I understand that these are not found as several to a hoard, rather they are only found as one piece in a hoard.



Sogdiana - Hyrcodes 3rd-4thCE AR Scyphate Obol or Reduced Drachm 12mm 0.56g Bukhara mint Male-Deity BMC Bactria p118

 

The Nestorian coins are hard to find, but they are also usually in bad condition. I saw this coin lately, but I let it pass because of the condition (and it turned out to be very expensive, too).



A hoard can change that. And I've seen hoards of rare medieval coins, one on a Belgian coin fair: a Tupperware box with about 1000 greenish islamic coins minted in eastern Iran in 1220. 5 bucks each.
So - I'm hoping for a hoard of better Vardanzi coins.

 

If you ever see such a hoard let me know sir. I will buying into it along with you.

 

Hey, I managed to score myself a Sogdian example since this thread was started a couple of years ago ...

LOCAL ISSUES, Sogdiana. Samarkand (Pre-Ikhshid). AR Obol
4th-5th centuries AD
Diameter: 11 mm
Weight: 0.42 grams
Obverse: Bearded male head left; [Sogdian legend around]
Reverse: Schematic soldier standing facing, hand on hip and holding bow
Reference: Cf. Senior A8.6i (for type); cf. Zeno 110045 (same)
Other: 12 h ... nicely toned

 

Hudat!

 

Bukharhudat, just around the corner of Vardanzi. As interesting as the Nestorian, this Sasanian imitation, not as rare and much more attractive.

 

These obscure central Asian issues are fascinating.

Here's one from pre-islamic Sogdian Bukhara, of "Asbar" (reverse legend xwβ ´sbr). The tamga on the reverse, a symbol of Bukhara, seems to assimilate a Sassanian fire altar. The "flames" also resemble Kushan tamgas. Asbar was perhaps the successor of Mavak, just prior to Gökturk overlordship (550). (Sorry for the poor photo, needs redoing.)

 

That one's in quite excellent condition. It's scyphate, the head is usually very worn. As I see it now, it looks like a later Parthian king's head, like Artabanus III (but not to the left).

 

By the way, this is a coin of Mavak (or Mawak). A different style fire altar, looks crowned with flowers.

 

Wow, those are very rare!

 

Finally found a Vardanzi coin with mountain lion (?) and Nestorian cross, much like @medoraman's OP bronze. It's an unsightly mice-nibbled coin, but the cross is clear enough.

 

Not flowers, but a bust of (presumably) Ahura Mazda. Here's one I recently acquired from Ebay, miraculously well preserved.