Sasanian coin project

Project leader: Vesta Sarkhosh Curtis

Department: Coins and Medals

Project start: 2000
End date: 2008

Other British Museum staff: Elizabeth Pendleton

External partners:
Mrs Elahe Askari,
National Museum of Iran, Tehran

Project funded by:
The British Museum - The Townley Group,
British Institute of Persian Studies

Description:

The Sasanian dynasty came to power in AD 224, when Ardashir, a local king from Pars in southern Iran, seized the crown and became the new King of Kings of Iran. The Sasanians remained the most powerful empire in the ancient Near East until the advent of Islam and the Arab invasion in AD 651. Sasanian coins are an important primary source for the history, economics and religion of this dynasty. 

From the beginning, the image of the king with his elaborate crown appears on the front and a Zoroastrian fire altar is shown on the back. The crowns incorporate symbols, such as wings, which are associated with the Zoroastrian religion and idea of kingship. The coin inscriptions, which are in Middle Persian (Pahlavi), give the king’s name, his religious affiliation as a worshipper of Ahuramazda, the Zoroastrian Wise Lord. 

From the sixth century onwards, important information on the mint and date within the king’s reign appears on the back. More than fifty mint centres are known through abbreviations in Middle Persian but not all can be identified with certainty. Sasanian were minted in gold, silver, bronze and occasionally lead. There were two women rulers in the Sasanian period.  These were Boran (630-31) and Azarmidukht (631).Both were daughters of Khusrau II Parviz (591-628).

Objectives:

This project will result in a 3-volume catalogue on the Sasanian coins in the National Museum of Iran and the British Museum.  Each coin will be illustrated and described in the catalogue and the information will also go online.

Images (from top):

• Gold coin of Ardashir I (224-241 AD)
• Mrs Elahe Askari, Dr Andrew Burnett and Dr Vesta Sarkhosh Curtis in the Coin Room of the National Museum of Iran.