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God on the Winged Wheel coin

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God on the Winged Wheel coin
Reconstruction of the figure on the reverse side

The God on the Winged Wheel coin, referred to in Levantine numismatics as the British Museum drachma is a 4th-century BCE silver coin attributed by scholars to the Gaza mint, with a deity seated on a winged wheel. It is considered one of the most unique and enigmatic artifacts from the Abar-Nahara province of the Achaemenid Empire. Currently housed in the British Museum, with ID number TC,p242.5.Pop,[1] the silver coin has sparked intense scholarly debate and has been reclassified several times since its first appearance in the literature in 1814. Its iconography, inscription, and uncertain provenance have prompted scholars to engage in a deep investigation of its origin and significance.

It has been described by Stephen Herbert Langdon as "the only known representation" of Yahweh.[2]

Description

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The drachma weighs 3.29 grams, and measures 15 millimeters in diameter.

Reverse

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The reverse side shows a seated bearded figure, holding a bird (possibly a falcon), and sitting on a winged wheel. Above the figure, three Phoenician letters are visible, which have been read variously as 𐤉𐤄𐤃 "YHD" (i.e. Yehud Medinata), 𐤉𐤄𐤅‎ "YHW" (i.e. Yahweh) or 𐤉𐤄𐤓 "YHR".[3]

The reverse figure has been described as a "God on the Winged Wheel". An early theory suggested that the figure might represent the Yahweh, which would make this drachma a unique example of an anthropomorphic depiction of the Hebrew deity.[4][5] This interpretation is controversial given the aniconism in Judaism. Other archeological finds represent the symbol of Yahweh as a winged disk. Other scholars have proposed that the seated figure may represent a syncretic deity influenced by both Eastern and Greek traditions. The falcon and seated posture are reminiscent of depictions of Zeus, while the winged wheel may reflect the Persian iconography of Ahura Mazda.[6][7] A similar winged wheel depiction can be found in Hellenized Eastern art depictions of Triptolemus, though he is depicted as a youth and not bearded.[8]

Shenkar notes that because of the coin's weight, which is not shekel weight, and the Achaemenid style, it is more likely Samarian, than Philistine or Judaean. He points out that the Samaritans identified Yahweh with Zeus Hellenius and according to Josephus, were a colony of Persians and Medes.[9]

Obverse

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The obverse side is the three-quarter profile of a bearded man wearing a Corinthian helmet. The identity of this figure has been the subject of much debate, with various suggestions ranging from a Greek god like Ares, to a Persian satrap or general, to a local Judean or Philistine figure. One possibility suggested by Meshorer was Bagoas the governor under Artaxerxes II, while Barag instead suggested Bagoas the general under Artaxerxes III.[10][5]

Provenance

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The coin first came to scholarly attention in 1814, when it was included in a catalog of coins in the British Museum. Scholars attributed the coin's origin as Gaza, but its precise provenance is unknown.[11]

When first published in 1814, the coin was described as bearing Phoenician text, largely due to its stylistic similarities with Phoenician coinage from cities such as Tyre and Sidon.[11] Early numismatists classified the coin as Philisto-Arabian, based on its artistic affinities with coins from Philistia, a coastal region under Persian control.[12] Scholars noted that Philistine coinage from cities like Gaza and Ashdod often incorporated Greek and Persian elements.[11][13] However, the Aramaic inscription on the reverse remained a point of contention, as it did not align with typical Philisto-Arabian coinage. The most significant reclassification came in the 1930s when Israeli archaeologist Eleazar Sukenik proposed that the Aramaic letters "YHD" referred to the Persian province of Judea, shifting possible attribution of the coin to Judea.[14][5] This reading, along with the discovery of additional coins bearing the same inscription, led to the hypothesis that the drachma was the earliest known examples of Yehud coinage. Despite this reclassification, debate over the coin's exact origin continues, with some scholars suggesting that it could have been minted in neighboring regions such as Philistia or Samaria.[9][13]

Chemical analysis of the drachma has provided further insights into its origin. X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) testing revealed that the coin is composed of 93% silver and 6% copper, a composition consistent with other coins from Samaria and Philistia during the same period.[9] This metallurgical profile, combined with the coin's stylistic features, suggests that it may have been minted in Samaria or Philistia, rather than Judea.[9][15]

References

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  1. ^ "coin". The British Museum. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  2. ^ Langdon 1931, pp. 43–44: "A coin from Gaza in Southern Philista, fourth century BC, the period of the Jewish subjection to the last of the Persian kings, has the only known representation of this Hebrew deity. The letters YHW are incised just above the hawk(?) which the god holds in his outstretched left hand, Fig. 23. He wears a himation, leaving the upper part of the body bare, and sits upon a winged wheel. The right arm is wrapped in his garment. At his feet is a mask. Because of the winged chariot and mask it has been suggested that Yaw had been identified with Dionysus on account of a somewhat similar drawing of the Greek deity on a vase where he rides in a chariot drawn by a satyr. The coin was certainly minted under Greek influence, and consequently others have compared Yaw on his winged chariot to Triptolemos of Syria, who is represented on a wagon drawn by two dragons. It is more likely that Yaw of Gaza really represents the Hebrew, Phoenician and Aramaic Sun-god, El, Elohim, whom the monotheistic tendencies of the Hebrews had long since identified with Yaw…Sanchounyathon…based his history upon Yerombalos, a priest of Yeuo, undoubtedly the god Yaw, who is thus proved to have been worshipped at Gebal as early as 1000 BC."
  3. ^ Shenkar 2008, p. 14-16.
  4. ^ Shenkar 2008, p. 16-18.
  5. ^ a b c Fontanille, Gitler & Lorber 2023, p. 7.
  6. ^ Shenkar 2008, p. 18-20.
  7. ^ Shenkar 2008, p. 20-21.
  8. ^ Shenkar 2008, p. 18.
  9. ^ a b c d Shenkar 2008, p. 22.
  10. ^ Shenkar 2008, p. 15-16.
  11. ^ a b c Shenkar 2008, p. 14-15.
  12. ^ Gitler, 2011, p.21-22: “Originally this drachm was attributed by Six (1877:229, No. 43), Pilcher 1908, Babelon (1910:655), Hill (BMC Pal.: lxxxvi–lxxxviii) and others to the Philisto-Arabian coinage. However, until recently it was widely accepted that this drachm should also be attributed to the coinage of Yehud based on Sukenik’s reading of the legend as yhd.5 This theory has been challenged by Gitler and Tal (2006a:230) who reattributed the coin to Philistia, based on its lan and fabric, weight, iconography, the division of the legend in the upper ield on both sides of the central motif and the fact that the third letter of the legend can be read not only as dalet, but also as resh or
  13. ^ a b Fontanille, Gitler & Lorber 2023, p. 3-5.
  14. ^ Shenkar 2008, p. 16-17.
  15. ^ Fontanille, Gitler & Lorber 2023, p. 5.

Bibliography

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