ՀԱՏՎԵԼ Է ԻՐԱՆԻ ՀՅՈՒՍԻՍՈՒՄ. «ՄՈՒՀՐ» ՄԱԿԱԴՐՈՇՄՆԵՐ ԱՐԾԱԹԵ ԴՐԱՄՆԵՐԻ ՎՐԱ (ԱՆԳԼ.) / STRUCK IN THE NORTH OF IRAN: “MUHR” COUNTERMARKS ON SILVER COINS

Abstract

This article introduced 15 variations of countermarks that followed the “muhr + mint name” formula. The meaning and history behind this formula were discussed, and it was shown that these countermarks indicate the city in which they were struck. So, muhr is equivalent to a countermark here, and “muhr-i x” is interpreted to mean “this is the countermark of the city of x (and this mint validates and recognizes this coin).” Interestingly, these countermarks show that the word muhr / مهر was still used in northern parts of Iran until the early tenth century AH to refer to coin minting. Muhr countermarks have been found on silver coins dating back to the time of Qara Qoyunlu Jahanshah, Aq Qoyunlu Yaʻqub and Rustam, and Safavid Ismaʻil I, and were produced in at least seven mints, including Daylamistan, Fuman, Gurjiyan, Lahijan, Qazwin, Rasht, and Tonekabon. All Muhr countermarks were struck in northern cities of Iran in the modern Gilan province and the west of the Mazandaran province. Through a study of Muhr countermarks, this work has identified the Gurjiyan mint. This finding challenges the belief held by Diler and Aghili that the Gurjiyan mint was located in Georgia. By combining numismatic and historical data, our work provided a more accurate estimation of the location of the Gurjiyan mint, which is believed to be in the vicinity of the border between Gilan and Mazandaran provinces. Lastly, Muhr countermarks were struck sometime in the late ninth or early tenth century AH, and it is known that Kiya’ids played a significant role in the east of Gilan during that time, actively engaging in local conflicts and various wars. Also, their footprints can be traced to all the seven mints discussed in this article. As Mirza ʻAli was a powerful local ruler of the Kar-Kiya dynasty who was able to conquer many important cities in the north of Iran and extend his rule to various regions, it is safe to assume that Muhr countermarks were struck during his reign, the time of which corresponds well with when the countermarks were stamped.