Reverse of the 1336 yr 2 5 Kurush

[Mohawk]

Just what the title says!!

 

Here's the reverse!!

 

See more journals by Mohawk

[RWB]

Some readers might want to know why the inscriptions read R-L and the date reads L-R.

[Mohawk]

Hi RWB,

First off, I'm pleased that my journal caught the attention of an accomplished numismatic scholar such as yourself. As for why the date reads left to right and the inscriptions read right to left, it goes back to some characteristics of the Arabic alphabet and how numbers are read by native users of that alphabet and numeric systems.

 

The weird thing about these coins it that, while they use an Arabic -script, it is a heavily modified Arabic -script used to write the Ottoman Turkish language, which is actually in a completely different language family than Arabic. The Arabic alphabet, with made up symbols for numerous vowel sounds used in Ottoman Turkish and not in Arabic (Ottoman Turkish and Modern Turkish have 8 vowels while Arabic has 3), was implemented mainly for religious reasons.

 

Arabic (as with the other living Semitic Languages) is written and read from right to left, and the Ottomans implemented this characteristic of that language into their written language when adapting the alphabet. This Arabic -script was actually a very poor fit for the Ottoman language, and Modern Turkish is written in the Latin alphabet and read from left to right.....a system that works much better for the language.

 

As for the Eastern Arabic numbers, they are traditionally written from left to right. They originally came from India, and were adapted into the Arabic linguistic system. Left to right was the way that the Indian progenitors of the numerals utilized them, and the Arabs saw no reason to mess with it, however, I have not been able to locate an exact reason for this. The numbers that we use in America and the Western World today are actually Western Arabic numerals that originated in North Africa during the Middle Ages.

 

So...... I hope that helps some!!! If there's something I'm missing, I'd love to know!!

~Tom

[RWB]

Good comments! I think you will find that Arabic vocalizes numbers in a way that creates R-L numerals -- which we western readers percieve as "western" L-R orientation. The Turkic adjustment did not affect the date which was determined independent of their language.

[RWB]

Maybe you can get to Dumbarton Oaks sometime - you'll likely enjoy the collection much more than the casual visitors that ususlly show up.

[Mohawk]

Hi RWB,

You are absolutely correct in that statement!! And I'd love to get to Dumbarton Oaks sometime....I'm currently in a distance learning program, working on my Master's in Middle Eastern History and Culture and one of my colleagues lives in the D.C. area, and she has said absolutely wonderful things about their Byzantine and Islamic collections. It's a major goal of mine, once grad school stops ruling my life.

 

Once again, thanks for the kind words and attention from you and everyone here!! It's encouraged me to write some more journals, and share more of my collection!

 

~Tom

[RWB]

As part of your studies and research, consider writing a short original article for the ANS Journal. They encourage scholarly excellence. (A possible subject might be the transition from the Seleucian to Parthian Empire during the 150-135BCE period.)

 

RWB

[Mohawk]

Hi RWB,

That's a pretty cool idea. I'm actually in a course dealing with experiential learning this term. One of the things I'm going to be doing is a weblog on Ottoman coinage and hopefully going live with it. I like that article idea as well, though I'd have to go with a more Modern Middle East topic as that is my specialty. I'd like to do something with the Ottoman Empire, maybe the transition from Byzantium to the Ottoman State and why the year of the final stage of that transition, 1453, is often used to mark the beginning of the Modern Era and the end of the Middle Ages. Thanks for the suggestion!! I really dig it. I'm going to run it by my professor and see where we can take it.

 

Until we talk next.....

 

~Tom

 

P.S. My girlfriend is a big US coin collector, and she LOVES your Peace Dollar book! I enjoy it as well.....it's great!!

[RWB]

Please keep me updated. Maybe you'll discover the site of the battle of Manzikert in 1071 CE !

[Mohawk]

RWB,

Definitely will do!! Manzikert......what a pivotal moment in history!! It's funny how it didn't seem to be that big of a deal to the people of the time, but it certainly ended up being a very big event indeed! The Republic of Turkey put out a nice silver commemorative to the battle and Alp Arslan in 1971. I've often thought about picking one up, and if there's one at my local shop on Wednesday when my girlfriend and I visit, I'll definitely get it. It's a great coin, and no time like the present!!

 

~Tom