OLBIAN DOLPHIN PROTO-COINS: STURGEONS, SHARKS OR DOLPHINS?

Abstract

Introduction. Olbian dolphin proto-coins is one of the most common and simultaneously unique serial metalworks of the early antiquity period. The question of biological prototypes, which, according to different researchers, could be either fish or dolphins, remains debatable. The absence of species affiliation analysis of the dolphin-like depictions does not allow to give a clear answer to this question. Objective. Determination of zoological prototypes of dolphin protocoins by comparative anatomical analysis. Results. Among the 36 anatomical feautures that can be identified on the coins, 25 are inherent in fish, in particular 21 are specific for sturgeons and 19 for sharks, and only 9 clearly belong to dolphins. The presence and distinctiveness of the traits creates a variety of types of proto-coins, and the combination of feautures from fish and dolphins causes the depictions to look whimsical. Archaic and primitive proto-currency herewith have a fish prototype. Diagnostic features of fish on the coins: big eyes on the sides of the head, operculum, lateral line, two dorsal fins, pressed to the body pectoral fin, truncated caudal fin. Some feautures (hypertrophied elongated snout, dorsal fin being closer to caudal fin, scutes on the body, heterocercal caudal fin) correspond to sturgeons, others (gill slits, location and shape of dorsal and pectoral fins, heterocercal caudal fin) to sharks. Bulging forehead should be considered as direct proof of a dolphin prototype for the coins, while other traits are either overlaped by fish feautures, or their interpretation is subjective. Conclusions. 1. The multiplicity of types and forms of dolphin-like coins, which combines traits of dolphins and different species of fish, indicates an absence of a single prototype. 2. The majority of the traits on anepigraphic coins is native to fish. The prototypes are sturgeons and possibly sharks. 3. By combinations of features it is possible to distinguish sturgeon- and shark-type proto-coins. 4. Some creations have bizarre depictions. 5. Heavyweight dolphins - whimsical representations with features of sharks as well as possibly other fish and dolphins. 6. Epigraphical dolphins with an «АРІХО» inscription bear signs of fish, whilst smaller ones with «ΘΥ» are rather bizarre depictions. 7. Predominance of fish traits on archaic and primitive items proves the primacy of the image of the fish.