Lot 079. Hephthalites, Nezak Huns. 7th century A.D. AR drachm. Balkh mint. Imitating the Sasanian type of Hormizd IV. Rare Countermark.

Hephthalites, Nezak Huns. 7th century A.D. AR drachm (32.1 mm, 2.83 g, 3 h). Balkh mint. Imitating the Sasanian type of Hormizd IV. Crowned Sasanian-style bust right, wearing bull-head ornate crown; C/M: winged camel flying left / Fire altar with two attendants and ribbons; C/M: crude legend. Göbl -. Fine. C/M's:VF. Rare Countermark. The rare countermark on this coin has been described as both Pegasus and a winged camel, but the discovery of a Sogdian vessel with similar artwork confirms that it must be a winged camel. You can read the discussion at Zeno here: http://www.zeno.ru/showphoto.php?photo=162876&cat=2128.The Hephthalites, also known as White Huns, were a nomadic people who lived across northern China, Central Asia, and northern India in the fourth through sixth centuries. The term Hephthalite derives from Greek, supposedly a rendering of Hayathelite (from the term Haital = "Big/Powerful" in the dialect of Bukhara), the name used by Persian writers to refer to a 6th century empire on the northern and eastern periphery of their land. As a group they appear to be distinct from the Huns who migrated to Europe in the fourth century A.D.

 

Estimate:

$  100.00

Final Price:

$ 60.00 (1 bid(s))
Approximately EUR 0.00 / GBP 0.00

$  ( bid(s))
Approximately EUR / GBP

Time remaining:

Bidding closed (Tuesday, 27 Sep 2016, 12:39:00)
Current time: Thursday, November 14th, 00:16:04