Down the rabbit hole - Pamphylia, Side AR stater with mysterious Sidetic script!

[Finn235]

One of my early fascinations about ancient coins was finding coins inscribed with various extinct languages, the more obscure, the better. My pool of options without dropping some serious cash quickly dried up, so that passion has been more of a back-burner interest for a number of years now.

I was aware of the type and had attempted to win it a few times prior, but to my shock a lowball bid actually stuck for once!

Pamphylia, Side AR Stater 20mm 10.51g

Ca 380-360 BC

Obv: Apollo, nude but for drapery at elbows, holding thin long branch and Patera, sacrificing at altar (off flan), bird at feet, Sidetic legend behind and beneath patera.

Rev: Athena standing left, holding shield and Nike, pomegranate to left.

Sidetic was a member of the Anatolian language family, similar to Lycian, Carian, and Pamphylian. Unlike those, however, it seems to have drawn more heavily from Phoenician in letter design and being written right to left. It may have been a novel invention, no more closely related to Phoenician or Greek than Cherokee is to English. It is extremely poorly attested - only a handful of inscriptions and a few types of coin have survived to the present. Online I read claims that the script is essentially translated, but also that several of the symbols still elude attempts at deciphering. The Sidetic alphabet supposedly has 25 letters, but I haven't found consensus on what they are, or their values. Closest to the coin:

My attempt at transliteration the coin legend, supplementing from Wikipedia's alphabet chart when I was unable to find a match to the above:

Obviously very low confidence in this - I found one Leu auction which transliterated as "siduwais" which I am also not certain is correct.

At any rate, it is a beautiful coin of wonderful Classical style and a welcome addition to my collection!

Any others out there? Let's see 'em if so!

[PeteB]

I have one, though not in the condition of yours:
Side, Pamphylia. Circa 370-360 BC. AR Stater (10.05 gm, 12h, 21mm). Obv: Athena standing left, holding Nike, shield, and spear; pomegranate to left, Rev: Apollo standing left, quiver over shoulder, holding patera and laurel scepter;a raven stands to left at his feet.  A lighted altar on the left, with a Pamphylian letter above it, and several letters to the right;  SNG von Aulock 4771; Atlan 112. 

 

[Deinomenid]

I'm  not sure if it helps but Kunker are selling a similar coin which appears to my wholly  untrained  eye to have very similar script, which may be easier to decipher.

The auction house does not attempt to though! They say "With his raised left hand, Apollo grasps his typical laurel staff, alluding to his love affair with Daphne. Behind Apollo, there is a reference to the minting authority of this coin in Sidetic script and language (not in Pamphylian, as is often read), indicating that this coin was issued by Side."

 

Edited March 4 by Deinomenid

[CPK]

A fascinating coin @Finn235 - congrats on the win!

[Anaximander]

I've never seen a coin like that of the OP, @Finn235, but I like it! 

Here are my examples of @PeteB and @Deinomenid coins of Side in Pamphylia. I'm looking for a proper version of a Sidetic font that I can use in my descriptions.

    

Asia Minor. Pamphylia. 360-333 BC. AR Stater (10.48 gm, 21.4mm, 12h) of Side. Athena Parthenos standing left, holding wreath-bearing Nike and shield, spear behind; pomegranate to left. PO (in Sidetic) to right. / Garbed Apollo standing left with laurel staff, holding patera over flaming altar. Sidetic  inscription ΙγҬ𐨚ϞΥΩγϰ r. VF. Bt. Mediterranean Coins, 1999.  SNG Copenhagen 376; SNG von Aulock 4772 (same obv die); Sunrise 84 corr. (Atlan ref.); J.P. Six NC Vol.17 (1897) p.197 #14 (plate IX #7). cf. Atlan Group IX #127-129 (unlisted dies); Triton XVIII #47; Leu Numismatik 6 #238 (same obv. die). SNG France - .

   

Asia Minor. Pamphylia. 375-333 BC. AR Stater (10.44 gm, 21.9mm, 12h) of Side. Athena Parthenos standing left, holding wreath-bearing Nike and shield, spear behind; pomegranate to left. ⲯ (psi in Sidetic) to right. / Apollo standing left with laurel staff, holding patera over flaming altar. Sidetic inscription ΙγҬ𐨚ϞΥΩ γϰ to right. gVF. Bt. Louis diLauro, Coral Gables, 2000.  Rare w/ this control. SNG France 651. cf. Atlan Group IX #132; SNG von Aulock 4772; SNG Cop 376v (controls); Gorny & Mosch 117 #310.

 

[Sulla80]

Just discovering this thread - withe your excellent coin @Finn235.  I find the evolution of written letters and ancient languages one of the draws of ancient coins. I see that there is a restricted access copy of S.Atlan's 1969 book on these coins - does anyone know if access is possible?

The Sidetic inscription ΙγҬ𐨚ϞΥΩ γϰ on my coin looks like is has only 8 letter (although perhaps there is one more to the left?).  I am missing a letter Ι and here's how I mapped (with low confidence):

Pamphylia. Side. Circa 400-380 BC. Stater (Silver, 22 mm, 10.72 g, 6 h).

Obv: Athena standing left, holding owl on her right hand and shield with her left; to left, pomegranate; to right, spear.

Rev: Apollo standing left, holding laurel branch over altar in his right hand and bow in his left; to right, raven; behind, ethnic in Sidetic; all within incuse square.

Ref: Atlan, Group V, 72. SNG Paris 637-8 var. (ethnic).

 

Edited August 31 by Sulla80

[JayAg47]

Talk about coincidence! I literally just came across this coin on ebay today! Although it is too expensive for the condition, and also not my area of interest. If anyone fancy one, here you go- https://picclick.de/Stater-Side-360-333vChr-Antike-Griechenland-Pamphylien-254523092279.html

[Sulla80]

On 7/3/2024 at 10:17 AM, Anaximander said:

I'm looking for a proper version of a Sidetic font that I can use in my descriptions.

You might try : Alphabetum - The Digital Classicist Wiki