Item number: A232

Year: 625-522 BC

Material: Electrum (Gold with Silver)

Size: 6.9 x 6.8 x 2.5 mm

Weight: 0.68 g

Provenance: Private Collector, UK, 2018

This gold 1/24 stater, also known as a myshemihekte, originated from the Phocaea and was crafted by the Ionians during the period 625-522 BC. The obverse features a pattern similar to the Swastika, accompanied by a punch mark on the reverse, displaying a quadripartite square.

The Swastika is an ancient symbol with a rich and diverse history, spanning various cultures and beliefs across millennia. Its origins can be traced back to the Third Millennium B.C., and it has been revered as the emblem of numerous deities, cosmic forces, and natural elements. From symbolizing Zeus and Baal to representing the sun, fire, rain, and fertility, the Swastika’s significance has evolved through time and across civilizations. Its presence in different religious and cultural contexts, from China and Japan to Tibet and India, underscores its enduring importance as a potent symbol that transcends geographical boundaries and historical eras. Regardless of the various meanings attributed to the Swastika, it has always been primarily ornamental. While it may have been associated with different significations, its ornamental nature remained consistent.

The depiction of the Swastika in ancient Greek artifacts, such as verses and coins, typically features a square shape and a cross at right angles or near it. The interpretation of the Swastika’s presence on Ionian coins remains a subject of debate. Alex Thorn, in his work Symbolics of Antique Coins: Swastika and David’s Star, supports this hypothesis by including relevant coins in his book (p.63). In contrast, Thomas Wilson, the author of The Swastika, the Earliest Known Symbol, and Its Migration, argues against these assertions, suggesting that the interpretation of these punch marks as Swastikas is erroneous. He points out that the arms of a typical Swastika consist of straight lines crossing each other, which is not the case with the design on Ionian coins. In fact, the design on these coins comprises four Γ(gammas), each separated from the others, forming a design similar to numerous other punch marks of the same era. Adjusting the length of each outer arm of this mark removes the Swastika form, revealing the square pattern commonly used for such purposes.

Phocaea, situated in Anatolia (modern-day Turkey), was an ancient Ionian city and the founding city of several Greek colonies. Established around the 10th century BC, the Phocaeans established colonies in various locations, including Lampsacus, Amisus (Samsun), the Crimean Peninsula, Massilia (Marseille), and Emporion (Ampurias). During a siege by the Persians in 545 BC, many citizens chose emigration over submission. In 190 BC, Phocaea allied with the Seleucids against Rome and Pergamum, fiercely resisting Roman forces, leading to the city’s sack. Despite facing destruction after a rebellion in 132 BC, Phocaea was spared through the intervention of its colony Massilia.

物件編號: A232

年代: 公元前 625-522 年

材質: 琥珀金

尺寸: 6.9 x 6.8 x 2.5 mm

重量: 0.68 g

來源: 英國私人收藏 2018

這枚1/24金斯塔特，也稱為myshemihekte，屬於公元前625至522年的福西亞(Phocaeans)，由伊奧尼亞人所鑄造。正面展示了一個與萬字符號(Swastika)相似的圖案，背面有一個凹印，呈現了一個四分的正方形。

萬字是一個古老的符號，具有豐富多樣的歷史，跨越數千年的不同文化和信仰。其起源可以追溯到公元前三千年，被崇敬為眾多神祇、宇宙力量和自然元素的象徵。從代表宙斯和巴力，到象徵太陽、火、雨，甚至生育力量，萬字的意義隨著時間和文明的發展而演變。卐存在於不同宗教和文化背景中，從中國、日本、西藏到印度，凸顯了其持久性以及作為一個強大符號的重要性，超越地理界限和歷史時期。儘管卐可能代表著不同的意義，但它始終具有裝飾性質。無論與哪些意義相關聯，它始終是一種裝飾性符號。

古希臘文物中的卐通常呈現方形，並且交叉或接近直角的十字形。對於伊奧尼亞硬幣上卐的詮釋仍然存在爭議。《古代硬幣的象徵：萬字和大衛之星》一書的作者亞歷克斯·索恩(Alex Thorn)支持這一假設，並在其書中提及相關硬幣(第63頁)。相反，《萬字，已知最早的符號及其遷移》一書的作者托馬斯·威爾遜(Thomas Wilson)則反對此主張，認為將這些凹印解讀為萬字是錯誤的。他指出，一個典型萬字的臂部由相互交叉的直線組成，而這在伊奧尼亞硬幣上不成立。事實上，他認為這些硬幣上的設計由四個Γ(伽馬)組成，每個Γ都與其他Γ分開，共同形成非常接近許多其他同期凹印的設計。調整此凹印的每個外部臂部的長度會使萬字形式消失，整個設計會解析為通常用於此目的的方形圖案。

福西亞位於安納托利亞(今天的土耳其)，是一個古老的伊奧尼亞城市，也是幾個希臘殖民地的母城。建於公元前10世紀，福西亞在多個地點建立了殖民地，包括蘭普薩庫斯，阿米索斯(薩姆松)，克里米亞半島，馬西利亞(馬賽)和阿姆庫里亞。公元前545年波斯人圍攻福西亞時，許多市民選擇移民而不是投降。公元前190年，福西亞與塞琉古帝國聯手對抗羅馬和佩加莫，並激烈抵抗羅馬軍隊，城市因而被洗劫一空。雖然在公元前132年的叛亂後面臨毀滅，但福西亞最終得以借助其殖民地馬西利亞的干預而幸免於難。