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Drachm - Anonymous Crescent
| Issuer | Lihyanite Kingdom (Northern Arabia) |
|---|---|
| Year | 200 BC - 24 BC |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Round (irregular) |
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| Obverse description | Highly schematized and abstracted local imitation of a helmeted bust of Athena facing right, rendered in a distinctly provincial Arabian style far removed from its Athenian prototype. The helmet crest is indicated by bold, sweeping diagonal lines across the upper field, while the eye is depicted in a prominent, almost geometric oval form with a central pellet. A spiral motif occupies the left field, likely representing a vestigial neck or ear ornament, and angular linear elements in the lower field may represent a schematic cheek guard or a decoratory symbol. No legend or inscription is present. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
The Lihyanites occupied the Dedan oasis in what is now northwestern Saudi Arabia, controlling caravan routes that funneled incense and spices northward toward the Nabataean and Greco-Roman markets. Their anonymous coinage — no ruler named, no dated series — reflects a kingdom whose written record is frustratingly thin, known largely from rock inscriptions around al-'Ula. The crescent type borrows from broader Arabian numismatic conventions without copying any single prototype directly.
The absence of a Huth catalog number signals how poorly documented this specific variety remains among specialists.