DOI Heft:
II. Materiały
DOI Artikel:Bartczak, Andrzej: Dirhams in the collection of the auxiliary science and archive department, institute of history, Jagiellonian University
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21229#0176
known from such finds in Central Europe as the German hoard of
Vossberg.45 46
The dirham of caliph Hisäm in our set exemplifies a phenomenon
unique to silver coin - at least as far as Spain is concerned - that has still
not been wholly explained. Namely, holes were made in some coins.
The problem was written about by G.C. Miles in his monograph on Spa-
nish Umayyad coinage. He suggested that punching holes in coins mi-
ght have been a form of demonetization.46 According to the author
of the most recent analysis of the question, A. C. Garcia, two elongated
holes were the most common pattern on dirhams.47 If not for the fact
that on our dirham they run from obverse through to reverse, we might
think that they were made so as not to damage the kalimah. G. A. Garcia
claims that find data prove beyond doubt that perforated coins continu-
ed to be used as currency, at least in private transactions. At the same
time, a lack of perforated coins in hoards containing mainly decora-
tions seems to indicate that such coins were not used as ornaments. The
practice of perforating dirhams may be associated with periods of ailing
authority as it seems to have been more rare when high-quality coin was
issued. The researcher quoted supports Miles’s hypothesis that punching
holes in coins might have been a method to demonetize them other
than by mandatory coin replacement, which may have resulted in their
continued use in the population despite their partial loss of value.48 At
the same time, it need not contradict a use of such coins as ornaments
in Spain.
In the context of the established fact that dirham hoards in eastern
Poland and Byelorussia - as opposed to chronologically similar deposits
in northern and western Poland and Silesia - are not significantly frag-
mented, we cannot exclude the possibility that the set under discussion
was a deposit or part of one. All the dirhams in the set are whole, even if in
45 PSW II, p. 113, no 193; Kiersnowski 1960, p. 13V, also mentions hoards of Ciecha-
nów and Kowal which are not included in the list given by A. Mikołajczyk, in: Marques
1988, perhaps because of a lack of information on the type of Arabic reverse in those
imitations.
46 Miles 1950, pp. 95-96.
47 A. C. Garcia, Perforations in Coins of the Andalusian Umayyad Caliphate: A Form
of Demonetization?, in: Marques 1986, p. 359.
18 A. C. Garcia, Perforations..., in: Marques 1986, p. 357.
174
Vossberg.45 46
The dirham of caliph Hisäm in our set exemplifies a phenomenon
unique to silver coin - at least as far as Spain is concerned - that has still
not been wholly explained. Namely, holes were made in some coins.
The problem was written about by G.C. Miles in his monograph on Spa-
nish Umayyad coinage. He suggested that punching holes in coins mi-
ght have been a form of demonetization.46 According to the author
of the most recent analysis of the question, A. C. Garcia, two elongated
holes were the most common pattern on dirhams.47 If not for the fact
that on our dirham they run from obverse through to reverse, we might
think that they were made so as not to damage the kalimah. G. A. Garcia
claims that find data prove beyond doubt that perforated coins continu-
ed to be used as currency, at least in private transactions. At the same
time, a lack of perforated coins in hoards containing mainly decora-
tions seems to indicate that such coins were not used as ornaments. The
practice of perforating dirhams may be associated with periods of ailing
authority as it seems to have been more rare when high-quality coin was
issued. The researcher quoted supports Miles’s hypothesis that punching
holes in coins might have been a method to demonetize them other
than by mandatory coin replacement, which may have resulted in their
continued use in the population despite their partial loss of value.48 At
the same time, it need not contradict a use of such coins as ornaments
in Spain.
In the context of the established fact that dirham hoards in eastern
Poland and Byelorussia - as opposed to chronologically similar deposits
in northern and western Poland and Silesia - are not significantly frag-
mented, we cannot exclude the possibility that the set under discussion
was a deposit or part of one. All the dirhams in the set are whole, even if in
45 PSW II, p. 113, no 193; Kiersnowski 1960, p. 13V, also mentions hoards of Ciecha-
nów and Kowal which are not included in the list given by A. Mikołajczyk, in: Marques
1988, perhaps because of a lack of information on the type of Arabic reverse in those
imitations.
46 Miles 1950, pp. 95-96.
47 A. C. Garcia, Perforations in Coins of the Andalusian Umayyad Caliphate: A Form
of Demonetization?, in: Marques 1986, p. 359.
18 A. C. Garcia, Perforations..., in: Marques 1986, p. 357.
174