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Stater
| Issuer | Knossos |
|---|---|
| Year | 440 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
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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 | The Minotaur (Asterion) depicted in a dynamic running or kneeling pose facing right, rendered in the archaic style characteristic of Cretan coinage of the mid-5th century BC. The figure is shown with a human body and bull's head, the muscular torso and limbs boldly modeled in high relief against a plain field. The treatment reflects the local mythological significance of the Minotaur as the emblematic type of Knossos, referencing the legendary labyrinth and the city's identity. The flan is irregular and slightly uneven, as is typical of hammered Greek silver coinage of this period. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | A square meander or labyrinth pattern rendered in incuse, occupying the full field of the reverse. The geometric design is composed of interlocking right-angled lines forming a rectilinear maze motif, a type directly referencing the legendary Labyrinth of Knossos. At the centre of the pattern a cluster of small pellets or a boss is visible. The design is set within a square incuse punch with subdivided compartments, a hallmark of early Cretan stater coinage and a direct allusion to the mythological labyrinth associated with the city. |
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| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Plain |
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