Umayyad fals

MACB 326

Object type Islamic coin

Culture/period Medieval and modern

Materials bronze

Technique minting

Mint

Production date 696 / 749

Museum Museu Arqueològic Comarcal de Banyoles

Current location

Archaeological site Troballa fortuïta

Township Esponellà / Serinyà

Dimensions 16 mm diàmetre

Description

Fals of the Umayyad Dynasty, coined in an unknown mint in the ŷund Filisṭīn (more or less the current Palestine), in the first half of the eighth century. On the obverse is an Arabic legend that says There is no God / but God / Unique, while on the reverse is a bird, perhaps a hawk, accompanied by a marginal legend again in Arabic that we can transcribe as Muḥammad is the envoy of God. Thus, the two legends constitute the complete šahāda or profession of Islamic faith. The find of this coin next to a path parallel to the River Fluvià, a natural communication route towards the strategic population of Besalú and the Pyrenees of Girona, is possibly testimony of the Islamic conquest of present-day northeast Catalonia. It should be emphasized that this type of coin, of low monetary value, was brought mostly by invading troops from Syria.

Omeka ID 3581