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Stater
| Issuer | Melos (Cyclades) |
|---|---|
| Year | 530 BC - 515 BC |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Round (irregular) |
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| Obverse description | A globular apple rendered in high relief occupies the left-center of the field, its rounded form boldly projecting from the flan surface — a visual pun on the island's name (Melos, meaning apple in Greek). To the right, a short, tapering stem or leaf is depicted in lower relief, angled diagonally and shown with naturalistic detail. The design is executed in the archaic style characteristic of early Cycladic coinage, with no inscription or border. The flan is irregular and slightly convex, consistent with early hammered production. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A deep quadripartite incuse square dominates the reverse, formed by two raised diagonal ridges intersecting at the center to divide the depression into four roughly equal triangular compartments. The incuse is deeply cut and clearly defined, the result of the punch die technique standard for archaic Greek coinage of this period. The surrounding field is rough and uneven, reflecting the hammered flan preparation. No legend or additional device is present. |
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| Additional information |
Melos occupied an unusual position among Cycladic poleis — its volcanic obsidian had made it wealthy long before coinage existed, and by the time this stater was struck the island was already deeply integrated into Aegean trade networks stretching from the Levant to the western Greek colonies. The early date places this issue among the pioneering generations of Greek civic coinage, when individual poleis were still working out the conventions of weight standards and fabric. Melian staters follow the Aeginetan standard, a choice that reflects commercial alignment with the Peloponnese rather than the Attic sphere.
The Asyut hoard reference is significant: that Egyptian deposit, buried around 475 BC, contained coins from across the Aegean and remains one of the primary assemblages for dating archaic island issues.