More from the 'Phoenicia' Hoard (IGCH 1497) more

ANCIENT HOARDS 381 THE LEVANT 54. More from the 'Phoenicia' Hoard (IGCH 1497) A.R. MEADOWS PLATES 72-73 In his hoard diary for 1947, E.S.G. Robinson made the following entry: 'Byblos Hoard I tetradrachm purchased from Ralphs of Adramalek late in 1947. Karam sent from Byblos rubbings attached of Ainel and Adramalek - a third (very poor) specimen king's name unread was shown by Karam's agent Barakan in 5/48.' He pasted the two rubbings into the diary, and subsequently added the date 1948 after the vendor Ralphs' name (see PI. 72). From this brief note was derived, it appears, the entry for this hoard in the Inventory of Greek Coin Hoards (IGCH 1497), where the date of discovery is given as 1947.1 In fact the British Museum probably possesses three coins from this find. The first was acquired from the Oldroyd bequest in October 1946. Its ticket is annotated in Robinson's hand 'Byblos hoard'. It is clear, therefore, that this find must antedate 1947 by at least a year. The piece noted in his diary as purchased by Robinson in 1947 was in fact registered in 1948. A third coin of Byblos was acquired in 1951 from the dealer H.A. Cahn and seems likely to have originated in the same find, although explicit testimony is lacking. There matters rested until February 2006, when a group of 10 coins were sent to the British Museum for identification by Ms F. MacFarlane. All shekels of Byblos, they had been acquired by Ms MacFarlane's father. Major Henry James Strang Macfarlane, who had served with the British 8th Army in the Near East during the Second World War. The coincidence of dale is remarkable, and it seems highly likely that all of these coins ultimately derive from the same deposit. The ten new coins, together with the three pieces from the British Museum's collection described above, are listed below and illustrated on Pis 72-73. If it is correct to assign all these coins to the same hoard, the IGCH listing should be revised as follows: Phoenicia, 1946 or earlier Contents: 15+AR Byblos, 'Ozba'al, 'Addirmilk and 'Aynel: st. Disposition: London 3; private collection, 10; remainder dispersed. 'Ozba'al Obv. Galley sailing 1., prow terminating in lion's head; within, three helmetcd warriors holding shields; below, zigzag line of waves and winged sea-horse swimming 1.; below seahorse, murex; above seahorse's tail TV ('Oz); border of dots Rev. Lion 1. bringing down bull; above, lyny? q*7~i y±> ('Ozba'al milk gubl); border of dots. 1. 13.33g 300° 2. 13.28 180 3. 13.39 120 4. 13.41 240 5. 13.46 210 6. 13.38 300 Same obv. and rev. die as last. Same obv. die as last. Same obv. die as last. Same obv. die as last. ' The hoard is listed by J. and A.G. Elayi in their Tresors cle mommies phcnicieimes el circulation monelaire (Paris. 1993). pp. 114-5. no. xvi (cf. CH 9. 443) 382 COIN HOARDS 'Addirmilk Obv. Galley sailing L, prow terminating in lion's head: within, three helmeted warriors holding shields; below, zigzag line of waves and winged sea-horse swimming I.; below seahorse, murex; above seahorse's tail N"| ('Ak); border of dots Rev. Lion 1. bringing down bull; above, NT!?:'?! E1?! 127 ('Addirmilk milk gubl); border of dots. 7. 13.19 300 BM 1948-3-6-1 (E.N.W. Ralphs) 8 13.26 0 Same obv. die as last. 'Aynel Obv. Galley sailing 1., prow terminating in lion's head; within, three helmeted warriors holding shields; below, zigzag line of waves and winged sea-horse swimming 1.; below seahorse, murex; border of dots Rev. Lion 1. bringing down bull; above, WSth ttT] Z±> ('Aynel milk gubl) border of dots. 9. 13.19 210 10. 13.20 240 BM 1946-10-4-2337 (Oldroyd). Same rev. as last. 11. 13.32 210 Same rev. die as last. Obv. As last. Rev. As last; above and below bull, i 12. 13.10 0 BM 1951-10-7-9 (Cahn) Uncertain 13. 13.55 120 14-15. See rubbings preserved in Robinson's hoard diary (PI. 72). EGYPT 55. IGCH 1649: Tell el Mashkouta (anc. Pithom-Heroopolis), 17 km W. of Ismailia, 1947-1948 NICHOLAS HARDWICK PLATE 74 The Nicholson Museum at the University of Sydney holds thirteen tctradrachms with Athenian types from this hoard, which were bought from Spink in London in January 1949, soon after its discovery.1 Given that similar coins from this hoard of over 6000 silver coins have recently been published,2 it seems appropriate to list and illustrate them here.-1 They arc consistent with the published burial date of the early fourth century BC. The genuine products of the Athenian mint among them belong to the mass output of Athens from the second half of the fifth century. Catalogue Obv. : Head of Athena r., leaves joined to diadem; Rev.: Owl standing r.; in field 1., olive sprig and crescent moon; in field r., AOH. ' I would like to thank J.H. Kroll for suggestions. J. Atkinson for suggestions about metallurgical matters and K..N. Sowada for assistance with the study of the hoard. : P.G. van Alien, 'Two unpublished hoards and other owls from Egypt'. AM; 14 (2002), pp. 59-71, pis. 13-17, especially pp. 64-5. pi. 15. 3 Photographs: Russell Workman. PLATE 72 E.S.G. Robinson's Hoard Diary MEADOWS, /G'C/7 1497 (1) MEADOWS, IGCH 1497 (2)