Quant.Geek's Top "Stuff" of 2022...

[quant.geek]

Here are some of my acquisitions for 2022 in no particular order. I also didn't limit it to 10 coins/artifacts, but it was somewhat difficult as there were some really good contenders:

Byzantine Empire: Manuel I Comnenus (1143-1180) EL Aspron Trachy (Sear 1959)

Byzantine Empire: Andronicus II Palaeologus (1282-1295) AV Hyperpyron, Constantinople (Sear 2326; DOC V.558-9; LPC 36; PCPC 94B)

 

Artuqids of Mardin: Husam al-Din Yuluq Arslan (1184-1200) Æ Dirhem (Album 1829.4; Whelan Type IV; S&S Type 36.2; Zeno 293026)

 

Georgian-Hulaguid: Demetre II/Arghun (1284–1291) AR dirham (Album 2151.2)

 

Bactria: Antialkides (115-95 BCE) AR Drachm (HGC 12, 259; Bopearachchi Série 13B)

 

Bactria: Antialkides (115-95 BCE) AR Drachm (Bopearachchi Série 9A)

 

Bactria: Apollodotus II (ca. 85-65 BCE) AR Drachm (HGC 12, 392; Bopearachchi Série 2D)

 

Tahirids: Talha ibn Tahir (822–828) Æ Fals, Bust, AH 209 (Album 1394)

 

Western Asiatic Cuneiform Envelope (ca. 2,000 BCE) - Waiting for Decipherment

 

Akkadian Cuneiform Administrative Tablet (ca. 1,800 BCE) - Waiting for Decipherment

 

Mesopotamia Clay Cuneiform Tables (ca. 2000 BCE) - Waiting for decipherment...

 

Egyptian Greek Cursive Script Papyrus (ca. 3rd century BCE - 4th century CE)

 

 

Edited December 30, 2022 by quant.geek

[TheTrachyEnjoyer]

Will you decipher the tablets yourself? I am learning akkadian…eventually. Mastery of Latin and fundamental old english are coming first

[Di Nomos]

I like the coins, but I like the other objects even more. Especially the papyrus, what a wonderful bit of ancient history to own. Congratulations on some great acquisitions.

[panzerman]

For the first time ever.....

I  would pick the last four cunieform tablets/ papyrus/ really something different and so interesting to own. Congrats on all your nice additions!!!!!

John

[quant.geek]

12 hours ago, TheTrachyEnjoyer said:

Will you decipher the tablets yourself? I am learning akkadian…eventually. Mastery of Latin and fundamental old english are coming first

Alas, with everything I currently do, I just don't have the time for Akkadian.  I  usually give this to CDLI for analysis after I digitize it to their specifications. Maybe when I retire, I"ll look into more classical languages.

[Spaniard]

@quant.geek..

What an interesting selection!!

Love the three Bactrian examples & the artuqids severed head..But the cuneiforms and papyrus are absolutely stunning, such interesting pieces...Thanks for sharing..

 

 

[Simon]

Some great additions for your year. Your collection always amazes me. 

[antwerpen2306]

I like the papyri, do you know anything of the text ? The second one is not to difficult to read, I think. I had a 2 year course of papyri at the university of Leuven in 1968/69/70, but I think I forgot all because no more reading since then.

[quant.geek]

Thanks for the compliments! It was not an easy choice to put those up, as there were a lot of good contenders this year, especially in the manuscripts department. I picked up some really lovey ones from an individual who was downsizing his amazing collection.  This one is fairly large in comparison to the normal ones:

 

 

 

 

[quant.geek]

7 minutes ago, antwerpen2306 said:

I like the papyri, do you know anything of the text ? The second one is not to difficult to read, I think. I had a 2 year course of papyri at the university of Leuven in 1968/69/70, but I think I forgot all because no more reading since then.

I don't. I was planning on getting it analyzed and could use all the help I can.  I was going to send it to a university for analysis.  This is just one lot of four!

 

I am currently focusing my efforts on the following two manuscripts, one written in Ge'ez and the other in Batak:

 

Edited December 30, 2022 by quant.geek

[Hughie Dwyer]

Forget the coins for just a sec, and let's focus on the scripts... 

What a piece of history to own! (If they get deciphered, please update us on their contents 😁😆)

Congrats on a great year

[CPK]

Wow, those are some spectacular museum-quality pieces! Please let us know what the writing says when you find out!

[quant.geek]

I have several cuneiform tablets and cones, aside from the ones posted that have already been deciphered, so while I wait for my 2022 ones, here is one from a prior year that took eons to decode using several books and a unicode cuneiform font:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 31, 2022 by quant.geek

[quant.geek]

Here is another one that was deciphered with the help of CDLI. They quickly realized that the 105 referenced a pre-existing cuneiform tablet that was once in the collection of Edmond Sollberger (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmond_Sollberger). While they provided the latin transliteration of the tablet, it took me a while to convert that into cuneiform using unicode.

 

and the seal of Lugal-nirgal:

 

 

 

 

[Severus Alexander]

Wow, I had no idea you had such a fine collection of ancient and medieval writing!  The third one looks the most exciting to me just because it's the longest.  (You can tell I have zero ability to evaluate these!)

Turning to the coins, I love the minty freshness on the aspron trachy and Apollodotus II, both stellar examples, as are the Antialkides drachms (which I remember fondly from an earlier post). The late Sassanid bust on the Tahirid fals is very cool, and I learned something from the Georgian issue dirham, where the cross caught my eye... apparently the Arabic text describes the trinity, which is no doubt why you wanted it, i.e. for the cool religious crossover.  You obviously had a great year!!

To post a coin related to something on your list, here's my dirham of Tahir I, a revolt issue:

[quant.geek]

Very nice dirham @Severus Alexander! I don't have any of the dirhams yet and that one is on my want list. My list just keeps growing, while my wallet keeps shrinking 😁My interest in manuscripts extends from my interest in coins and epigraphy.  It is one of the reasons why I try so hard to attribute my coins with native legends and its corresponding translations. Coins become more lively when you can actually read the legends.

Georgian coins are quite interesting, especially due to its proximity to the Islamic Dynasties. Alas, they are quite difficult to get in the US, so when a few of them popped up this year, I snapped it up. Here is the full attribution of the dirham as you are spot on with the legends and why I got it:

Georgian-Hulaguid: Demetre II/Arghun (1284–1291) AR dirham (Album 2151.2)

Obv: Uyghur legend in four lines - ᠬᠠᠭᠨᠤ ᠨᠡᠷᠪᠡᠷ ᠠᠷᠭᠤᠨ ‍ᠪ ᠳᠡᠯᠠᠳᠭᠡᠭᠦᠠᠯᠦᠤ ᠰᠡᠨ (Struck in the name of Khaqan Arghun-u); Arabic legend below - ارغون (Arghun); Small cross above ᠪ in ᠠᠷᠭᠤᠨ ‍ᠪ (Arghun-u)
Rev: Within square, Arabic legend in four lines - بسم الاب و الابن و روح القدس اله واحد (In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit - One God); Cross in lower part, date formula around
Dim:21 mm, 2.40g

 

There were several other Georgian coins that didn't make the cut this year, but nonetheless, were great additions. Here is one with native, Georgian legends:

Georgia: Demetre II (1271-1289) Æ Unit (Bennett 342)

Obv: 'Demetre' inscribed using Asomtavruli letters Ⴄ and Ⴃ in ornamented frame; Georgian legend ႫႴ (King) on either side
Rev: Symbol of the Bagratid dynasty in center; Asomtavruli legend around - ႢႥႼႫႱ ႫႠႫႨ ႻႨ ႣႠ ႱႪႨ ႼႨ (We believe in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit)
Dim: 24 mm, 2.22 g, 1 h

[Qcumbor]

Very unusual "objects" and a lot to learn from them as it seems. Fascinating. The coins aren't bad either 😄 

Q

[antwerpen2306]

@quant.geekwhat is the CDLI system to decipher ? I don't know it.

I have a few tablets ans 1 cone,which is the same as in the museum in Brussels, so I could check the translation I received. It is a cone from Girsu, king Gudea (around 2120 BC)

I have also some tablets without translation from pre-Sargon period and UR III dynasty. Is it possible to translate with this system ?

[antwerpen2306]

for the papyri, on a first view, you have differents periods. These fragments have only one or a few words , I think it wil be impossible to understand the context, but it is a very nice collection

[quant.geek]

40 minutes ago, antwerpen2306 said:

@quant.geekwhat is the CDLI system to decipher ? I don't know it.

I have a few tablets ans 1 cone,which is the same as in the museum in Brussels, so I could check the translation I received. It is a cone from Girsu, king Gudea (around 2120 BC)

I have also some tablets without translation from pre-Sargon period and UR III dynasty. Is it possible to translate with this system ?

I have that cone as well and it is fully translated.  Let me dig that one up for you.  There are several slight variations to it.  You can find the translation, as well as additional information from MET Museum's cuneiform books which are free to download.  It is in the first volume:

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/metpublications/Cuneiform_Texts_in_The_Metropolitan_Museum_of_Art_Volume_I_Tablets_Cones_and_Bricks_of_the_Third_

As for the other one, submit it to CDLI with digital pictures so that they can add to their database.  They will try to help you translate it as well. I have been trying to add to their database as much as I can with my tablets.  You can contact them at https://cdli.ucla.edu/.

[quant.geek]

1 hour ago, antwerpen2306 said:

for the papyri, on a first view, you have differents periods. These fragments have only one or a few words , I think it wil be impossible to understand the context, but it is a very nice collection

Let me scan the fragments with my camera.  I finally got a decent temporary setup, so taking high resolution pictures will be easier now...

Edited December 31, 2022 by quant.geek

[quant.geek]

I am assuming yours is the same as the following one that I have.  In the MET publication, you can see the Gudea cones on page 152. I am using their translations, but with the cuneiform output that I made. It was my first attempt at typing this up using the fonts from http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/doc/help/visitingoracc/fonts/.

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

It's a diverse and fascinating list.  I'd have to vote for the Manuel Trikephalon.  The figures are exceptionally well-preserved.  The seated Artuqid figure would be my second favorite item.

[antwerpen2306]

@quant.geekthank you, I am just coming back here in Antwerp. the translation I have is the same, but there are some nuances. I'll give it one of this days, but thank you, it is fantastic to translate it in this way.

[antwerpen2306]

Here are some examples of Greek writing alphabet. I join also an example of the first alphabet and the transcription of a part of it.