A collection of thirteen Abbasid and Fatimid glass coin-weights (sanajat) and/or religious amulets, Near East, mostly Egypt, 8th-12th century

The function of such discs has long been under debate. First seen to be a token of currency, they later, in the mid-19th century, were thought of as coin-weights and by the end of the 19th century a new study suggested that at least some should be viewed as amulets for religious propaganda. For a summary of the debate over their function, see A.H.Morton's article in Contadini, A., Fatimid Art in the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1998, pp.104-08.  Another group sold in these rooms, 25 April 2002, lot 69.

inscriptions

1. al-imam abu tamim al-mustansir al-amir al-mu’minin
‘The Imam Abu Tamim al-Mustansir, the Commander of the Faithful’
al-Mustansir, the Fatimid caliph (427-87/ A.D. 1036-94).

2. mimma amara bihi al-amir ‘usama bin ‘amr akramahu allah mithqal dinar waf
‘One of what was ordered by the Emir ‘Usama (?) bin ‘Amr, may God honour him. A weight of a dinar, full-weight.’

3. al-wathiq amir al-mu’minin bism allah ‘ala yady ‘isa ibn mansur
‘al-Wathiq, Commander of the Faithful. In the name of God by ‘Isa bin Mansur’
al-Wathiq, the ‘Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad (227-232/ A.D. 842-47).  ‘Isa b. Mansur was the Governor of Egypt first in 216 (A.D. 831-2) and then from 229 (A.D. 844) to 233 (A.D. 847).

4. al-imam ma’ad abu tamim al-mustansir bi’llah amir al-mu’minin ‘The Imam Ma’ad Abu Tamim al-Mustansir bi’llah Commander of the Faithful’
al-Mustansir, the Fatimid caliph (427-487/ A.D. 1036-94).

5. bism allah amara ‘abd al-malik bin yazid bi-mithqal dinar waf
‘In the name of God. ‘Abd al-Malik bin Yazid ordered [it]. A weight of a dinar, full-weight.’
‘Abd al-Malik bin Yazid was the Governor and Finance Director once between 133 (A.D. 751) and 136 (A.D. 753) and then between 137 (A.D. 755) and 141 ( A.D. 758). For a similar piece see: A. H. Morton, A Catalogue of Early Islamic Glass Stamps in the British Museum, London, 1985, no. 173.

6. al-imam al-zahir li-i‘izaz din allah amir al-mu’minin
‘The Imam al-Zahir, to honour religion of God, Commander of the Faithful.’
Al-Zahir, the Fatimid caliph (411-27/ A.D. 1021-36).

7. mimma umira bihimuhammad bin ‘amr mithqal fals wazn ‘ishrin kharruba
‘One of what was ordered by Muhammad bin ‘Amr. A weight of a fals of the weight of twenty kharruba.’
For a similar piece, see: A. H. Morton, A Catalogue of Early Islamic Glass Stamps in the British Museum, London, 1985, no. 401.

8. al-imam al-mu’izz al-din bi’llah bism allah amara ‘abdalla wa walihi ma’ad abu tamim
‘The Imam al-Mu’izz al-Din bi’llah. In the name of God. ‘Abdallah and His friend Ma’ad Abu Tamim ordered it’.
al-Mu’izz, the Fatimid Caliph (341-65/ A.D. 953-75).

9. al-imam al-mansur bi’-llah
‘The Imam Mansur Bi’-llah’
Mansur, possibly the Fatimid Caliph (334-41/ A.D. 946-53).

10. al-imam al-‘adid li-din Allah
'The Imam al-‘Adid bi’-llah’.
al-‘Adid, the Fatimid Caliph (555-67/ A.D. 1160-71).

11. Possibly: ‘adl al-imam al-hakim bi-amr allah amir al-mu’minin mimma ‘umila fi … sana thulth wa arba’ami’a

'...The Imam al-Hakim bi-amr Allah Commander of the Faithful.  One of what made in … year four hundred and three’
al-Hakim, the Fatimid Caliph (386-411/ A.D. 996-1021).

12. Possibly: al-imam ja’far ….. amir al-mu’minin
‘The Imam Ja’far … Commander of the Faithful.’
One of the two ‘Abbasid Caliphs with that name: al-Mutawakkil (232-47/A.D.847-61) and al-Muqtadir (295-320/ A.D. 908-32, with interruptions).

13. bism allah … ‘ala yady yazid bin abi yazid
‘In the name of God…. by Yazid bin Abi Yazid’.
Yazid bin Abi Yazid, Finance Director circa 103-7 (A.D. 721-6), later Executive under al-Qasim ibn ‘Ubayallah, Hafs ibn al-Walid and ‘Isa ibn Abi ‘Ata. For more on him and similar pieces, see: A. H. Morton, A Catalogue of Early Islamic Glass Stamps in the British Museum, London, 1985, pp. 72-5.