Both sides of an irregularly shaped silver gray coin with relief decoration on each side.
Photo © President and Fellows of Harvard College
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Photo © President and Fellows of Harvard College

Within the circle on the left is an animal with the body of a lion and the head, wings, and feet of an eagle facing left. It’s right front leg is raised along with it’s head and wings. Under it’s right front leg is a drinking vessel. Small dots surround the border. The circle on the right depicts a large square. Surrounding the inside border are Greek characters spelling E P I S M O R D O T O P M O K A L. Within the square of characters is a smaller square divided into fourths.

Identification and Creation

Object Number
1972.121
Title
Tetradrachm of Abdera
Classification
Coins
Work Type
coin
Date
473 BCE-448 BCE
Places
Creation Place: Ancient & Byzantine World, Europe, Abdera (Thrace)
Period
Classical period, Early
Culture
Greek
Persistent Link
https://hvrd.art/o/195540

Location

Location
Level 3, Room 3400, Ancient Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Art, Ancient Greece in Black and Orange
View this object's location on our interactive map

Physical Descriptions

Medium
Silver
Metal
AR
Technique
Struck
Dimensions
15 g
Die Axis
9
Denomination
tetradrachm
Inscriptions and Marks
  • Reverse Inscription: EPI SMORDOTOPMOKAL

State, Edition, Standard Reference Number

Standard Reference Number
May 138

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line
Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Frederick M. Watkins
Accession Year
1972
Object Number
1972.121
Division
Asian and Mediterranean Art
Contact
am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu
Permissions

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Descriptions

Description
Obv.: Griffin standing l., with right foreleg raised; underneath: kantharos. Border of dots.
Rev.: magistrate name in shallow border around quadripartite linear square.

Publication History

  • The Frederick M. Watkins Collection, exh. cat., Fogg Art Museum (Cambridge, MA, 1973)

Exhibition History

  • The Frederick M. Watkins Collection, Fogg Art Museum, Cambridge, 01/31/1973 - 03/14/1973
  • 32Q: 3400 Greek, Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge, 11/16/2014 - 01/01/2050

Verification Level

This record has been reviewed by the curatorial staff but may be incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. For more information please contact the Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art at am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu