DOI article:
Shannahan, John: Samarian depictions of the figure in the winged disc
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.31074#0034
JOHN SHANNAHAN
32
The figurę in the winged disc appears on two types from Samarian coinage.
They were limited in production in comparison to imitations of Athena or images
of the royal figurę in heroic positionsA Type 1 always appears on the reverse
(PI. 1, Figs. i-4). It shows a małe figurę with four wings extending diagonahy
from his torso. The wings are not symmetrical. In place of his legs are feathers
extending downwards. The figurę is bearded in a manner typical of Samarian coin-
age.He wears a three-pointed headdress. In his right hand, raised towards his
chin, is a Power. In his left hand, held horizontally, is a ring with three points
extending outwards to the right. Type 2 is slightly different in its composition
(PI. 1, Figs. 5-6). There, the feathered taił does not extend directly from the torso,
for the torso terminates in a disc. Instead, the feathers extend from the bottom of
the disc. Two curved tendrils also extend below the disc, making a total of seven
extensions from the human figurę.
The composition of Types 1 and 2 is significant when determining their icono-
graphic precedents. As mentioned in the introduction, even though crudely drawn,
the prototypes for many Samarian coins are elear. The die-engravers could profl-
ciently replicate Athenian imitations, the Arethusa/warrior head coins of Pham-
abazus and Tarkumuwa/Datames, and Cilician depictions of the standing BaalA
Types showing the Achaemenid royal figurę in combat also followed standard
Achaemenid composition in pose, clothing, and weaponryA Surprisingly, given
their unusual style (to which we will shortly tum), only cursory attempts have been
madę to identify the inspiration for Types 1 and 2. These have focused on compari-
sons to the reverse of Tiribazus' Cilician statersA Generally, commentators have
been satisfled with identifying the figurę in Types 1 and 2 as Ahuramazda or some
variety of winged deityA There are, however, a number of differences between the
types under discussion and the typical Achaemenid portrayal of the figurę in the
winged disc. The differences are such that these types cannot be considered to be
derived from a coin or an extant monumental relief.
There are two primary differences between these Samarian types and the typ-
ical Achaemenid portrayal of the figurę in the winged disc (compare Figs. 1-8).
^ See beiow. Cf. MESHORER and QEDAR 1999: no. 13 (and data in UDEM 1991: no. 36), IC2.
2* Compare to MESHORER and QEDAR 1999: nos. 4-7, 13-16, 20-23, etc.
^ Athenian imitations: IIDEM: 40f, e.g. nos. 57—59, 212—217. Arethusa: I1DEM: 38, e.g. nos. 73, 80—81.
Standing Baal: UDEM: 55, e.g. nos. 117-120. Generally, on Samarian imitations and adaptations, see
WYSSMANN 2014: §2.
3° MESHORER and QEDAR 1999: 43-46.
3' MESHORER and QEDAR 1991: 28-29; IIDEM 1999: 52; MESHORER, BIJOVSKY and FISCHER-
-BOSSERT2013: 216, no. 148; BODZEK201!b: 279.
32 E.g. MESHORER and QEDAR 1999: 51f; BOARDMAN 2000: Fig. 5.55; CURTIS and TALLIS 2005:
Cat. 362.
32
The figurę in the winged disc appears on two types from Samarian coinage.
They were limited in production in comparison to imitations of Athena or images
of the royal figurę in heroic positionsA Type 1 always appears on the reverse
(PI. 1, Figs. i-4). It shows a małe figurę with four wings extending diagonahy
from his torso. The wings are not symmetrical. In place of his legs are feathers
extending downwards. The figurę is bearded in a manner typical of Samarian coin-
age.He wears a three-pointed headdress. In his right hand, raised towards his
chin, is a Power. In his left hand, held horizontally, is a ring with three points
extending outwards to the right. Type 2 is slightly different in its composition
(PI. 1, Figs. 5-6). There, the feathered taił does not extend directly from the torso,
for the torso terminates in a disc. Instead, the feathers extend from the bottom of
the disc. Two curved tendrils also extend below the disc, making a total of seven
extensions from the human figurę.
The composition of Types 1 and 2 is significant when determining their icono-
graphic precedents. As mentioned in the introduction, even though crudely drawn,
the prototypes for many Samarian coins are elear. The die-engravers could profl-
ciently replicate Athenian imitations, the Arethusa/warrior head coins of Pham-
abazus and Tarkumuwa/Datames, and Cilician depictions of the standing BaalA
Types showing the Achaemenid royal figurę in combat also followed standard
Achaemenid composition in pose, clothing, and weaponryA Surprisingly, given
their unusual style (to which we will shortly tum), only cursory attempts have been
madę to identify the inspiration for Types 1 and 2. These have focused on compari-
sons to the reverse of Tiribazus' Cilician statersA Generally, commentators have
been satisfled with identifying the figurę in Types 1 and 2 as Ahuramazda or some
variety of winged deityA There are, however, a number of differences between the
types under discussion and the typical Achaemenid portrayal of the figurę in the
winged disc. The differences are such that these types cannot be considered to be
derived from a coin or an extant monumental relief.
There are two primary differences between these Samarian types and the typ-
ical Achaemenid portrayal of the figurę in the winged disc (compare Figs. 1-8).
^ See beiow. Cf. MESHORER and QEDAR 1999: no. 13 (and data in UDEM 1991: no. 36), IC2.
2* Compare to MESHORER and QEDAR 1999: nos. 4-7, 13-16, 20-23, etc.
^ Athenian imitations: IIDEM: 40f, e.g. nos. 57—59, 212—217. Arethusa: I1DEM: 38, e.g. nos. 73, 80—81.
Standing Baal: UDEM: 55, e.g. nos. 117-120. Generally, on Samarian imitations and adaptations, see
WYSSMANN 2014: §2.
3° MESHORER and QEDAR 1999: 43-46.
3' MESHORER and QEDAR 1991: 28-29; IIDEM 1999: 52; MESHORER, BIJOVSKY and FISCHER-
-BOSSERT2013: 216, no. 148; BODZEK201!b: 279.
32 E.g. MESHORER and QEDAR 1999: 51f; BOARDMAN 2000: Fig. 5.55; CURTIS and TALLIS 2005:
Cat. 362.