Ancient Artifact Review 112 : Antique Malay Pending / Belt Buckle 19th Century

 

The pending is a belt buckle worn by both men and women, often in an ogival shape and decorated with floral and vegetal motifs. This pending is made of silver repousse and believed worn by men due to its large size. Some pendings that are made of gold, adorned with repoussé work and valuable gemstones, were worn by nobility. Various metalworking techniques, such as repoussé, chasing, niello, wire filigree, and faceted granulation, were used to create different aesthetic effects

Pending that is shaped like an eye. This shape is likely a symbol. In the middle there is a circle that becomes the center or pending eyeball, some are studded with jewels. Pending has smooth or notched edges, decorated with clouds or abstract decorations or plant shapes such as ghost spinach, creeping flowers or scaly animals. Everything is arranged in the area between the lines according to the pending form. In the middle, surrounded by a circle arranged with plant motifs. This decoration is produced by tapping and then carved in a traditional way.

The pending design shares similarities with those made by Chinese craftsmen for the Chinese communities in Malacca, Penang, and Singapore. In the Iban community in Sarawak, the pending serves a different purpose, being used by women to cover their chest.

Artifact Specs :

Item : Silver Repousse Pending ( Belt Buckle)

Dim : 27 cm x 15 cm

Weight : TBA

Date : 19th Century CE

Purchased Price :

Reference :  pg 47, Islamic Civilization in the Malay World

Ancient Artifact Review 111 : Antique Borneo / Brunei Brass Pot / Sulang 19th Century

 

This brass container known as “sulang”. During the 1800s, these containers were significant symbols of wealth and status among the wealthy Malay and Dayak people in Sarawak as well as in Brunei. They were often kept as heirlooms and used for various purposes, including storing jewelry and serving food.

Artifact Specs :

Item : Borneo or Brunei brass pot

Dim : 24 cm x 25 cm

Weight : 2.5kg

Date : 19th Century CE

Purchased Price :

Reference : 

Similar pot was seen displayed in the Museum of Brunei as below.

Ancient Artifact Review 110 : Antique Ottoman Brass 3 faces Stamp dated 1311 AH ( 1893 CE)

 

This is an interesting Ottoman era 3 faces stamp dated 1311 AH ( 1893 CE)

There is a clear date written in Arabic on 1 face. The second one looks like انشاءالله

But I couldn't figure out the third word.

A similar stamp can be seen in below link :

A Dated Ottoman Stamp 001

Dim : 50mm x 20mm

Date : 1311 AH ( 1893 CE)

Material : Brass

Origin : Turkey

Price : 

Ancient Coin Review 122 : Earliest Arab-Byzantine / Pseudo Byzantine coin minted during time of Umar ibn al-Khattab ( 634-644 CE) dated Frozen Year 627 CE

 

This is the earliest Arab-Byzantine coin which was minted during the era of the early caliphate (Rashidun Caliphate) between 638-647 CE. This folles is an imitated coin of contemporary Byzantine circulating issues of Heraclius struck in Cyprus. It has a frozen regnal year of 17 (627 CE).  This coin is classified as type B which could have been struck circa 640 CE the earliest and not more than 645 CE. Umar Ibn al-Khattab led the Muslim community from 634 - 644 CE. 

Obverse

Three standing imperial figures, Heraclius in centre to his right Martina ( his niece-bride ) and to his left Heraclius Constantine ( his son ), wearing chlamys and crown with cross, holding globus crucigers.

( Take note that the figure on the left is Martina and not Heraklonas due to her feminine silhoutte, flared robe and tall crown with pendilia/flowing hair locks falling to her shoulders)

Reverse

Uncial letter M, to left downwards ANNO to right downwards regnal year XЧII ( = year 17 or 627 CE) between limbs of M officina letter Γ( third officina ) above Heraclian monogram hR and in exergue mint-signature (ΚΥΠΡ')

After the battle of Yarmuk in 636 CE, Syria was taken over from Byzantine power.

To keep economy activities in the area, imitations of coin were made reflecting Heraclius and Constans II. For example, coins from Emperor Constans II, who succeeded after the Battle of Yarmuk, were found in Syria and Cyprus long after the Byzantine Empire had supposedly lost control. This indicates that coins might have been struck in Cyprus for use in Islamic provinces. Yet due to abundance of this coins were discovered mainly in Syria and rarely in Cyprus hypothesized that they were most probably struck in an area that is modern day Syria; a plethora of imitations were put into circulation during the early days when the Arabs controlled the region; especially folles bearing the Cypriot mint-signature were singled out for copying in preference to other issues. The prototype coin most likely from below Official Byzantine Heraclius coin which has weight 5gm and diam of 26mm which was produced between 626-627 CE. These coins circulated in vast quantities across the Eastern Mediterranean, Syria and Palestine during the final decades of Byzantine rule.

Additionally, coins with the Cyprus mint-mark were likely produced in Syria, imitating earlier issues. This raises several possibilities: the coins might be unofficial imitations, or there could have been a mint in Cyprus under Islamic control producing coins that looked authentic. Alternatively, Constantinople might have been producing coins specifically for export to Cyprus and Syria.

But I believed the first hypothesis could be the reason. After the victory at the Battle of Yarmouk (636 CE) and the fall of Jerusalem ( 637-638CE) under the Caliph Umar Ibn Al Khattab, the region was cut off from official Byzantine imperial mints like Constantinople. To keep daily local commerce functioning, regional mints across Bilad al-Sham (Syria/Levant) and adjacent regions continued producing low-denomination copper coins by copying familiar Byzantine issues that locals already trusted.Rather than updating the regnal year, local die-engravers copied existing coins directly—mechanically preserving the "Year 17" inscription as a static or "frozen" design element. Leading numismatists (such as Clive Foss and Tony Goodwin) classify these early "Class B" pseudo-Byzantine / Arab-Byzantine imitations as having entered production circa 640 CE (and continuing through the 640s and 650s CE), making a date between 636 CE and 645 CE ideal for the earliest wave of this series.

This coin has a peculiar shape which has an elliptical flan due to cutting the angular corners. This coin could be struck a cut coin of earlier bigger Byzantine follis with 2 corners trimmed to give it oval shape. The larger follis could be from 11gm weight.

The name “copper” originates from the Roman era when the metal was primarily mined on the island of Cyprus. It was initially called aes cyprium (metal of Cyprus), which was later shortened to cuprum in Latin. This evolved into the Old English “coper” and eventually became “copper” around 1530.

Obverse :      

Three standing imperial figures, Heraclius in centre to his right Martina ( his niece-bride ) and to his left Heraclius Constantine ( his son ), wearing chlamys and crown with cross, holding globus crucigers.

Reverse : 

Uncial letter M, to left downwards ANNO to right downwards regnal year XЧII ( = ear 17 or 627 CE) between limbs of M officina letter Γ( third officina ) above Heraclian monogram hR and in exergue mint-signature (ΚΥΠΡ')

Weight : 0.59 gm

Dim : 29 mm

Date : Frozen 17 Heraclius regnal year ( 627 CE) but imitated circa 640 CE

Rarity :

Denom : follis

Material : Copper

Reference : pg 13-16 (Arab Byzantine Coinage)

                   pg 22-24 ( Arab Byzantine Coins - Clive Foss)