Skip to main content
Lot 210

An Umayyad glass vessel Stamp for a measure of mishsh, in the name of Hayyan b. Shurayh, Finance Director of Egypt AH 99-101[3]/AD 717-720[2]
Egypt

23 April 2013, 10:30 BST
London, New Bond Street

£2,000 - £3,000

Own a similar item?

Submit your item online for a free auction estimate.

How to sell

Looking for a similar item?

Our Islamic and Indian Art specialists can help you find a similar item at an auction or via a private sale.

Find your local specialist

Ask about this lot

An Umayyad glass vessel Stamp for a measure of mishsh, in the name of Hayyan b. Shurayh, Finance Director of Egypt AH 99-101[3]/AD 717-720[2]
Egypt

of pale bluish green
22mm. diam., 6.33gr

Footnotes

Provenance: Frank Linville Collection, Malter Sale XXXIX, 2 April 1989, 99, ill.

Four line inscription:
amara Hayyan/ ibin Shurayh/ mikyala/ mishsh
"Ordered Hayyan/ b. Shurayh/ a measure/ of mishsh

The reading of mishsh seems probable (although it is preceded by a stroke). According to the notes left by A.H. Morton, other possibilities could include turmus "lupin", otherwise fals, perhaps bi-fals. Wafin "full-measure" seems impossible.

The commodity mishsh is most common on measure stamps. The identification was proposed by Miles (1958, 85) as a well-known dairy product in modern Egypt; but mishsh is unknown to the classical Arabic lexicon (Morton 1985, 64, with bibliography). Many stamped glass measures of this Governor are known, but none for mishsh.

Additional information