File talk:Umayyad calif Sassanian prototype copper falus Aleppo Syria circa 695 CE.jpg
Sasanian or Byzantine prototype?[edit]
Early Islamic coins - before c. 697 AD - were generally so-called Arab-Byzantine or Arab-Sasanian coins (although it gets complicated if we go into details). The silver coins were based on Sasanian silver coins and the copper and gold coins were based on Byzantine copper and gold coins. The coins in this image are Arab-Byzantine copper coins. The standing Caliph design is a modification of the standing Emperor on Byzantine coins and the pole with circle on steps design is based on the cross on steps design found on Byzantine coins.
Note also that there are two coins in this image, it's not obverse and reverse of the same coin. Note that one coin (the one above) has a large cavity along the edge, which the other one doesn't. Given that the photos were taken at the British Museum, it would also be surprising if the photographer had the opportunity to get a photo of both sides of the same coin.
I will change the description of the image in accordance with the above. Alfons Åberg (talk) 07:06, 21 April 2017 (UTC)
