Coin

Art Historical Context

This copper coin, hailing from the vast Islamic world between the 5th and 14th centuries, offers a tangible window into the economic and cultural heartbeat of medieval societies. Crafted during an era when Islam flourished across empires—from the Umayyads and Abbasids to regional dynasties—such coins facilitated bustling trade routes stretching from Spain to India. Copper, a practical and abundant medium, was widely used for everyday transactions, contrasting with precious gold and silver dinars reserved for high-value exchanges. In the Department of Islamic Art at The Metropolitan Museum of ...