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Qandhari Dirham ' Damma' - Shibl - 840-861 AD Amir of Multan
| Issuer | Emirate of Multan |
|---|---|
| Year | 840-861 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Round (irregular) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Arabic/Sharada |
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| Reverse description | The reverse displays a bold Sharada script legend arranged across the field in two lines, typical of the bilingual coinage issued by the Amirs of Multan during the 9th century. The inscription, rendered in the early Sharada script, proclaims the royal title of the issuer. The flan is irregular and slightly oval, consistent with hand-hammered production. Surface shows natural granularity and wear consistent with circulation. The overall style reflects the regional tradition of Qandhari dirhams blending local epigraphic conventions with Islamic monetary practice. |
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| Additional information |
The Emirate of Multan operated as a semi-autonomous Arab polity in the lower Indus region, distant enough from Abbasid Baghdad that its governors exercised considerable independent authority over coinage. The Qandhari dirham — named for Gandhara, the broader regional designation used by Arab administrators — represents a fractional denomination struck to meet local transactional needs rather than inter-regional trade, explaining the dramatically reduced weight relative to the standard Abbasid dirham.
Shibl ibn Marar al-Kusi is poorly documented in Arabic sources, known almost entirely through his coinage.